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Part of the
ADOrsON 1LEX.NDER UBRaRT
Which was presented by
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THE
WORK S
PRESIDENT EDWARDS,
IN TEN VOLUME-.
VOL. Vl.
L Tvrx.vTT 5ERM03r8. U. PRACTICAI. »I.RMnSf.
NEW YORK :
PUBLISHED BY S CONTER^E.
Vanderpool & Cole, Printorg.
CONTENTS.
I.- TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Page
Preface, - 3
Sermon I. — The Manner of Seeking Salvation, Gen. vi. 22, 5
[I, — The Unreasonableness of Indetermination in Religion,
I Kings xviii. 21, 23
III. — Unbelievers Contemn the Glory of Christ, Acts iv. 11, 36
IV. — The Folly of looking back in fleeing out of Sodom,
Luke xvii. 32, 45
V. — The Folly of looking back, &c., Luke xvii. 32, - - 53
VI. — Scripture warnings best adapted to the Conversion of
Sinners, Luke xvi. 31, 58
VII. — Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer, Job
xxvii. 10, 69
VIII. — Hypocrites Deficient, &c., .Tob xxvii. 10, - - 79
IX. — Future Punishment Unavoidable, Ezekiel xxii. 14, - 89
X. — Future Punishment, &c., Ezekiel xxii. 14, - - 97
XI. — The Eternity of Hell Torments, Matthew xxv. 46, - 106
XII. — The Peace which Chiist gives, John xiv. 27, - - 126
XIII. — The Perpetuity of the Sabbath, I Cor. xvi. 1,2, - 137
XIV. — The Change of the Sabbath, I Cor. xvi. 1, 2, - 148
XV. — The Change of the Sabbath, &c., I Cor. xvi. 1,2, - 162
XVI. — The Reality of Spiritual Light, Matt. xvi. 17, - - 171
XVII. — The Church's Marriage, Isaiah Ixii. 4, 5, - - 189
XVIII. — Funeral Sermon on Rev. David Brainerd, (See vol.
X. page 454,)
XIX. — A Strong Rod Broken and Withered, Ezek, xix. 12, 217
XX. — True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of
I^evils, James ii. 19, - - - - . . 232
II.— PRACTICAL SERMONS.
First Published in Edinburgh, by the Rev. Dr. Erskinb, in 1778.
>^erm:on I. — Christian Knowledge, Heb. v. 12, - - . 265
U. — God the Portion of the Christian, Psalm Ixxiii. 25, - 284
III. — Divine Sovereignty, Psalm xlvi. 10, - - . . 293
IV. — Pardon for the Greatest Sinners, Psalm xxv. 11, . 304
V. — The Most High a Prayer- hearing God, Psalm Ixv. 2, . 314
^^' — The Necessity of Self-examination, Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24, 328
VII.-— A Warning to Professors of Religion, Ezek. xxiii. 37,
"8.39. ...„.'=...: 365
IV CONTEMS.
III.— REMARKS ON IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL
CONTKOVERSIES.
Page
Chapter I. — Of God's Moral Government, - - - 360
II, — Of Endless Punishment, 374
III. — Concerning the Divine Decrees, . . . 405
IV. — Concerning Efficacious Grace, .... 440
V. — Of the Perseverance of Saints, 483
VI.— Of Satisfaction for Sin, 505
VII. — Concerning Faith, 536
^S^S^
TWENTY SERMONS
ON
VARIOUS SUBJECTS,
VOL. VI-
PRFFACE.
The following Sermons were not transcribed with anv vi^w to a
publication in this country. In the year 1773, I was desired by a
gentleman in Scotland, to transcribe a number of the author's ser-
mons on some of the most plain, practical, and experimental subjects,
that they might be printed there. The reader will hence see, that
it was not the design to pick out the most curious and elaborate dis-
courses, but those of a diflerent stamp. Among the very numerous
discourses on i»ractical and experimental subjects out of which I was
to choose, it was no easy task to determine which to publish and
which to omit. And different persons would, no doubt, in this case,
judge differently. Many sermons, equally worthy of the light as
these, were omitted, and, perhaps, some that were more worthy :
yet, it is hoped, that the public will judge these not unworthy of
their acceptance and attention.
The reader cannot be insensible of the disadvantages attending all
posthumous works, especially sermons, which are generally prepared
only for the next Sabbath, and for a particular congregation, and often
in great haste, and amidst many avocations. Yet, if in these sermons
he shall find the most important truths exhibited, and pressed home
on the conscience with that pungency, which tends to awaken, con-
vince, humble, and edify ; if he shall find that serious strain of piety,
which, in spite of himself, forces upon him a serious frame of mind ;
if, in the perusal, he cannot but be ashamed and alarmed at himself,
and in some measure feel the reality and weight of eternal things; if,
at least he, like Agrippa, shall be almost persuaded to be a Chris-
tian ; I presume he will not grudge the time requisite to peruse what
is now offered him. These- if T mistake not, are the great ends to
be aimed at in all sermons, whether preached or printed, and are
ends which can never be accomplished by those modern fashionable
discourses which are delivered under the name of sermons, but really
are mere harangues on such moral subjects as have been much better
handled by Cicero, Seneca, or the Spectator, and contain very little
more of the gospel than is to be found in the heathen philosophers.
That the important ends now mentiotied, may be indeed accomplish-
ed by this publication to every reader, is the sincere desire of the
public's humble servant,
JONATHAN EDWARDS.
New-Haven, December 21, 1779.
N. B. The reader will observe some sermons not dated. Those
I suppose, were written before the year 1733, when the author was
thirty years of age ; as in that year he began to date his sermons,
and all written after that, appear to be dated.
s^-
^^
SERMON I.*
THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL
IS TO BE SOUGHT,
Gen. VI. 22.
l^hus did Noah ; according to all that God commanded him, so
did he.
Concerning these words, I would observe three things :
1 . What it was that God commanded Noah, to which these
words refer. It was the building of an ark, according to the
particular direction of God, against the time when the flood of
waters should come ; and the laying up of food for himself, his
family, and the other animals, which were to be preserved in
the ark. We have the particular commands which God gave
him respecting this affair, from the 1 4th verse, " Make thee an
ark of gopher wood," &c.
2. We may observe the special design of the work which
God had enjoined upon Noah : It was to save himself and his
family, when the rest of the world should be drowned. See
ver. 17, 18.
3. We may observe Noah's obedience. He obeyed God :
Thus did Noah. And his obedience was thorough and univer-
sal : According to all that God commanded him, so did he. He
not only began, but he went through his work, which God had
commanded him to undertake for his salvation from the flood.
To this obedience, the apostle refers in Heb. xi. 7. " By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house."
Doctrine. — We should be willing to engage in, and go
through great undertakings, in order to our own salvation.
The building of the ark, which was enjoined upon Noah,
that he and his family might be saved, was a great undertaking :
The ark was a building of vast size ; the length of it being three
hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it
thirty cubits. A cubit, till of late, was by learned men reckoned
'^ Dated September, !740.
b TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
to be equal to a foot and a half of our measure. But lately,
some learned men of our nation have travelled into Egypt, and
other ancient countries, and have measured some ancient build-
ings there, which are of several thousand years' standing, and of
which ancient histories give us the dimensions in cubits ; parti-
cularly the pyramids of E<4ypt, which are standing entire at this
day. By measuring these, and by comparing the measure in
feet with the ancient accounts of their measure in cubits, a cubit
is found to be almost two and twenty inches. Therefore learned
men more lately reckon a cubit much lariier than they did
formerly. So that the ark, reckoned so much larger every way,
will appear to be almost of double the bulk which was formerly
ascribed to it. According to this computation of the cubit, it
was more than five hundred and fifty feet long, about ninety feet
broad, and about fifty feet in height.
To build such a structure? with all those apartments and
divisions in it which were necessary, and in such a manner as to
be fit to float upon the water for so long a time, was then a great
undertaking. It took Noah, with all the workmen he employed,
an hundred and twenty years, or thereabouts, to build it. For
so long it was, that the Spirit of God strove, and the long suf-
fering God waited on the old world, as you may see in Gen.
vi. 3. " My spirit shall not always strive with man ; yet his days
shall be an hundred and twenty years." All this while the ark
was a preparing, as appears by 1 Pet. iii. 20. " When once
the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the
ark was a preparing." It was a long time that Noah constantly
employed himself in this business. Men would esteem that
undertaking very great, which should keep them constantly em-
ployed even for one half of that time. Noah must have had a
great and constant care upon his mind for these one hundred
and twenty years, in superintending this work, and in seeing that
all was done exactly according to the directions which God had
given him.
Not only was Noah himself continually employed, but it
required a great number of workmen to be constantly employed,
during all that time, in procuring, and collecting, and fitting the
materials, and in putting them together in due form. How great
a thing was it for Noah to undertake such a work! For beside
the continual care and labour, it was a work of vast expense.
It is not probable that any of that wicked generation would put
to a finger to help forward such awork, which, doubtless, they
believed was merely the fruit of Noah's folly, without full wages.
Noah must needs have been very rich, to be able to bear the
expense of such a work, and to pay so many workmen for so
long a time. It would have been a very great expense for a
prince ; and, doubtless, Noah was very rich, as Abraham and Job
were afterwards. But it is probable that Noah spent all his
SER. I. The Manner of Seeking Salvation, 7
worldly substance in this work, thus manifesting his faith in the
word of God, by selling all he had, as believing there would
surely come a flood which would destroy all ; so that if he
should keep what he had, it would be of no service to him.
Herein he has set us an example, showing us how we ought to
sell all for our salvation.
Noah's undertaking was of great difficulty, as it exposed
him to the continual reproaches of all his neighbours, for that
whole one hundred and twenty years. None of them believed
what he told them of a flood, which was about to drown the
world. For a man to undertake such a vast piece of work,
under a notion that it should be the means of saving him. when
the world should be destroyed, it made him thecotitinual laugh-
ing-stock of the world. When he was about to hire workmen,
doubtless all laughed at him, and we may suppose, that though
the workmen consented to work for wages, }et they laughed at
the folly of him who em[)loyed them. When the ark was
begun, we may suppose that every one that passed by and saw
such a huge hulk stand there, laughed at it, calling it J^oah's
folly.
In these days, men are with difficulty brought to do or sub-
mit to that which makes them the objects of the reproach of all
their neighbours. Indeed, if while some reproach them, others
stand by them and honour them, this will support them. But it
is very diflicult for a man to go on in a way wherein he makes
himself the laughing stock of the whole world, and wherein he
can find none who do not despise him. Where is the man that
can stand the shock of such a trial for twenty years ?
But in such an undertaking as. this, Noah, at the divine
direction, engaged, and went through it, that himself and his
family might be saved from the common destruction which was
shortly about to come on the world. He began, and also made
an end : "According to all that God commanded him, so did
he." Length of time did not weary him : He did not grow
weary of his vast expense. He stood the shock of the derision
of all his neighbours, and of all the world, year after year : He
did not grow weary of being their laughing-stock, so as to give
over his enterprise ; but persevered in it till the ark was finished.
After this, he was at the trouble and charge of procuring stores
for the maintenance of his family, and of all the various kinds
of creatures for so long a time. Such an undertaking he engaged
in and went through in order to a temporal salvation. How
great an undertaking, then, should men be willing to engage in
and go through, in order to their eternal salvation ! A salvation
from an eternal deluge ; from being overwhelmed with the bil-
lows of God's wrath, of which Noah's flood was but a shadow.
I shall particularly handle this doctrine under the three fol-
lowing propositions :
anfl
TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
I. There is a work or business which must be undertaken
accomplished by nncn, if they would be saved.
II. This business is a great undertaking.
III. Men should be willing to enter upon and go through
this undertaking, though it be great, seeing it is for their ozo7i
salvation*
I. Prop. There is a work or business wbich men must enter
upon and accomplish, in order to their salvation. — Men have no
reason to expect to be saved in idleness, or to go to heaven in a
way of doing nothing. No; in order to it, there is a great
work, which must be not only begun, but tinished. 1 shall speak
upon this proposition, in answer to two inquiries.
Inq. I. What is this work or business which must be un-
dertaken and accomplished, in order to the salvation of men.
Ams. It is the work of seeking salvation in a way of constant
observance of all the duty to which God directs us in his word.
If we would be saved, we must seek salvation. For, although
men do not obtain heaven of themselves, yet they do not go
thither accidentally, or without any intention or endeavours of
their own. God, in his word, hath directed men to seek their
salvation, as they would hope lo obtain it. There is a race
that is set before them, which they must run, and in that race
come off victors, in order to their winning the prize.
The Scriptures ha\e told us what particular duties must be
performed by us in order to our salvation. It is not sufficient
that men seek their salvation only in the observance of some of
those duties, but they must be observed universally. The work
we have to do is not an obedience only to some, but to all the
commands of God ; a compliance with every institution of wor-
ship; a diligent use of all the appointed means of grace; a
doing of all duty towards God and towards man. It is not suf-
ficient that men have some respect to all the commands of God,
and that they may be said to seek their salvation in some sort
of observance of all the commands ; but they must be devoted
to it. They must not make this a business by the bye, or a thing
in which they are negligent and careless, or which they do with
a slack hand ; but it must be their great business, being attended
to as their great concern. They must not only seek, but strive ;
they must do what their hand fiudeth to do with their might, as
men thoroughly engaged in their minds, and influenced and set
forward by great desire and strong resolution. They must act
as those that see so much of the importance of religion above
all other things, that every thing else must be as an occasional
affair, and nothing must stand in competition with its duties.
This must be the one thing they do ; Phil. iii. 13. " This one
thing I do." — It must be the business to which they make all
other affairs give place, and to which they are ready to make
SER. I. The Marnier of seeking Salvation. V
other things a sacrifice. They must be ready to part with plea-
sures, and honour, estate, and life, and to sell all, that they may
successfully accomplish this business.
It is required of every man, that he not only do something
in this business, but that he should devote himself to it ; which
implies that he should give up himself to it, all his affairs, and
all his temporal enjoyments. This is the import of taking up
the cross, of taking Chrisfs yoke upon us, and of denying our-
selves to follow Christ. The rich young man, who came kneel-
ing to Christ to know what he should do to be saved, (Mark x.
17.) in some sense sought salvation, but did not obtain it. In
some sense he kept all the commands from his youth up ; but
was not cordially devoted to this business. — He had not made
a sacrifice to it of all his enjoyments, as appeared when
Christ came to try him ; he would not part with his estate for
him.
It is not only necessary that men should seem to be very
much engaged, and appear as if they were devoted to their duty
for a little while ; but there must be a constant devotedness, in
a persevering way, as Noah was to the business of building the
ark, going on with that great, difficult, and expensive affair,
till it was finished, and till the flood came. — Men must not only
be diligent in the use of the means of grace, and be anxiously
engaged to escape eternal ruin, till they obtain hope and com-
fort : but afterwards they must persevere in the duties of reli-
gion, till the flood come, the flood of death. — Not only must
the faculties, strength, and possessions of men be devoted to
this work, but also their time and their lives ; they must give up
their whole lives to it, even to the very day when God causes the
storms and floods to come. This is the work or business which
men have to do in order to their salvation.
Inq. 2. Why is it needful that men should undertake to go
through such a work in order to their salvation ?
Ans. 1. Not io merit salvation, or to recommend them to
the saving mercy of God. Men are not saved on the account
of any work of theirs, and yet they are not saved v)ithout\N orks.
If we merely consider what it is for which, or on the account of
which men are saved, no work at all in men is necessary to their
salvation. In this respect they are saved wholly without any
work of theirs. Tit. iii. 5, " Not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." —
We must indeed be saved on the account of works ; but not our
own. It is on account of the works which Christ hath done for
us. Works are the fixed price of eternal life ; it is fixed by an
eternal, unalterable rule of righteousness. But since the fall,
there is no hope of our doing these works, without salvation
offered freely, without money and without price.- — But,
VOL, VI. 2
10 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
2. Though it be not needful that we do anything to merit
salvation, which Christ hath fully merited for all who believe in
him ; yet God, for wise and holy ends, hath appointed, that we
should come to final salvation in no other way, but that of good
works done by us.
God did not save Noah on account of the labour and ex-
pense he was at in building the ark. Noah's salvation from the
flood was an instance of the free and distinguishing mercy of
God. Nor did God stand in need of Noah's care, or cost, or
labour, to build an ark. The same power which created the
Avorld, and which brought the flood of waters upon the earth,
could have made the ark in an instant, without any care or cost
of Noah, or any of the labour of those many workmen who
were employed for so long a time. Yet God was pleased to
appoint, that Noah should be saved in this way. So God hath
appointed that man should not be saved without his undertaking
and doing this work of which I have been speaking; and there-
fore we are commanded to zoork out our ozon salvation with fear
and treniblijig, Philip, ii. 12.
There are many wise ends to be answered by the establish-
ment of such a work as pre-requisite to salvation. The glory
of God requires it. For although God stands in no need of
anything that men do to recommend them to his saving mercy,
yet it would reflect much on the glory of God's wisdom and
holiness, to bestow salvation on men in such a way as tends to
encourage them in sloth and wickedness ; or in any other way
than that which tends to promote diligence and holiness. Man
was made capable of action, with many powers of both body and
mind fitting him for it. He was made for business and not idle-
ness : and the main business for which he was made, was that
of religion. Therefore it becomes the wisdom of God to be-
stow salvation and happiness on man, in such away as tends
most to promote his end in this respect, and to stir him up to a
diligent use of his faculties and talents.
It becomes the wisdom of God so to order it, that things
of great value and importance should not be obtained without
great labour and diligence. Much human learning and great
moral accomplishments arc not to be obtained without care and
labour. It is wisely so ordered, in order to maintain in man a
due sense of the value of those things which are excellent. If
great things were in common easily obtained, it would have a
tendency to cause men to slight and undervalue them. Men
commonly despise those things which are cheap, and which are
obtained without difliculty.
Although the work of obedience performed by men, be not
necessary in order to merit salvation ; yet it is necessary iirorder
lo their being prepared for it. Men cannot be prepared for sal-
vation without seeking it in such a wav as hath been described.
S£R. I. The Manner of seeking Salvation. 1 J
This is necessary, in order that they have a proper sense of their
own necessities and unworthiness ; and in order that they be
prepared and disposed to prize salvation when bestowed, and be
properly thankful to God for it. The requisition of so great a
work in order to our salvation, is no way inconsistent with the
fredom of the offer of salvation; as after all, it is both offered
and bestowed without any respect to our work, as the price or
meritorious cause of our salvation, as 1 have already explained.
Besides, salvation bestowed in this way is better for us, more
for our advantage and happiness, both in this and the future world,
than if it were given without this requisition.
II. Prop. This work or business, which must be done in
order to the salvation of men, is a great undertaking. It often
appears so to men upon whom it is urged. Utterly to break oii'
from all their sins, and to give up themselves for ever to the
business of religion, without making a reserve of any one lust,
submitting to and complying with every command of God, in all
cases, and persevering therein, appears to many so great a thing,
that they are in vain urged to undertake it. In so doing it seems
to them, that they should give up themselves to a perpetual
bondage. The greater part of men therefore choose to put it off.
and keep it at as great a distance as they can. They cannot
bear to think of entering immediately on such a hard service,
and rather than do it, they will run the risk of eternal damna-
tion, by putting it off to an uncertain future opportunity.
Although the business of religion is far from really being as
it appears to such men, for the devil will be sure, if he can, to
represent it in false colours to sinners, and make it appear
as black and terrible as he can ; yet it is indeed a great business, a
great undertaking, and it is fit that all who are urged to it, should
count the cost beforehand, and be sensible of the difficulty at-
tending it, For though the devil discourages many from this
undertaking, by representing it to be more difficult than it really
is ; yet with others he takes a contrary course, and flatters them
it is a very easy thing, a trivial business, which may be done at
any time when they please, and so emboldens them to defer it
from that consideration. But let none conceive any other no-
tion of that business of religion, which is absolutely necessary
to their salvation, than that it is a great undertaking. It is so
on the following accounts.
1. It is a business of great labour and care. There are
many commands to be obeyed, many duties to be done, duties
to God, duties to our neighbour, and duties to ourselves. —
There is much opposition in the way of these duties from with-
out. There is a subtle and powerful adversary laying all man-
ner of blocks in the way. There are innumerable temptations
of Satan to be resisted and repelled. There is great opposition
12 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
from the world, innumerable snares laid on every side, many
rocks and mountains to be passed over, many streams to be
passed through, and many flatteries and enticements from a vain
world to be resisted. There is a great opposition from within ,
a dull and sluggish heart, which is exceedingly averse from that
activity in religion which is necessary ; a carnal heart, which is
averse from religion and spiritual exercises, and continuall}' draw-
ing the contrary way ; and a proud and a deceitful heart, in
which corruption will be exerting itself in all manner of ways.
So that nothing can be done to any effect without a most strict
and careful watch, great labour and strife.
3. It is a constant business. — In that business which re-
quires great labour, men love now and then to have a space of
relaxation, that they may rest from their extraordinary labour.
But this is a business which must be followed every day. Luke
ix. 23, " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daili/, and follow me." — We must never
give ourselves any relaxation from this business ; it must be con-
tinually prosecuted day after day. If sometimes we make a
great stir and bustle concerning religion, but then lay all aside
to take our ease, and do so from time to time, it will be of no
good effect : we had even as good do nothing at all. The busi-
ness of religion so followed is never like to come to any good
issue, nor is the work ever like to be accomplished to any good
purpose.
3. It is a great undertaking, as it is an undertaking oi great
expense, — We must therein sell all : we must follow this busi-
ness at the expense of all our unlawful pleasures and delights,
at the expense of our carnal ease, often at the expense of our
substance, of our credit among men, the good will of our neigh-
bours, at the expense of all our earthly friends, and even at the
expense of life itself. Herein it is like Noah's undertaking to
build the ark, which, as hath been shown, was a costly under-
taking: it was expensive to his reputation among men, exposing
him to be the continual laughing-stock of all his neighbours and
of the whole world : and it was expensive to his estate, and pro-
bably cost him all that he had.
4. Sometimes the fear, trouble, and exercise of mind,
which are undergo. ic respecting this business, and the salvation
of the soul, are great and long continued, before any comfort
is obtained. Sometimes persons in this situation labour long
in the dark, and sometimes, as it were, in the very fire ; they
having great distress of conscience, great fears, and many per-
plexing temptations, before they obtain light and comfort to
make their care and labour more easy to them. They some-
times earnestly, and for a long time, seek comfort, but find it
not, because they seek it not in a right manner, nor in the
right objects. God therefore hides his face. They cry, but
SER. I. The Manner of seeking Salvation, 13
God doth not answer their prayers. They strive, but all seems
m vain. They seem to themselves not at all to get forward, or
nearer to a deliverance from sin ; but to go backward rather
than forward. They see no glimmerings of light : things
rather appear darker and darker. Insomuch that they are
often ready to be discouraged, and to sink under the weight of
their present distress, and under the prospect of future misery.
In this situation, and under these views, some are almost driven
to despair.
Many, after they have obtained some saving comfort, are
again involved in darkness and trouble. It is with them as it
was with the Christian Hebrews, Heb. x. 32, " After ye were
illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions." Some
through a melancholy habit and distemper of body, together
with Satan's temptations, spend a great part of their lives in
distress and darkness, even after they have had some saving
comfort.
5. It is a business which, by reason of the many diffi-
culties, snares, and dangers that attend it, requires much in-
struction, consideration, and counsel. There is no business
wherein men stand in need of counsel more than in this. It is
a difficult undertaking, a hard matter to proceed aright in it.
There are ten thousand wrong ways, which men may take ;
there are many labyrinths whereby many poor souls are entan-
gled and never find the way out ; there are many rocks on which
thousands of souls have suffered shipwreck, for want of having
steered aright.
Men of themselves know not how to proceed in this busi-
ness, any more than the children of Israel in the wilderness
knew where to go without the guidance of the pillar of cloud
and fire. There is great need that they search the scriptures,
and give diligent heed to the instructions and directions (^on-
tained in them, as to a light shining in a dark place ; and that
they ask counsel of those skilled in these matters. And there
is no business in which men have so much need of seeking to
God by prayer, for his counsel, and that he would lead them
in the right way, and show them the strait gate. " For strait
is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it ;" yea, there are none that find it with-
out direction from heaven.
The building of the ark was a work of great difficulty on
this account, that Noah's wisdom was not sufficient to direct
him how to make such a building as should be a sufficient
security against such a flood, and which should be a con-
venient dwelling-place for himself, his family, and all the
various kinds of beasts, and birds, and creeping things. Nor
could he ever have known how to construct this building, had
not God uirected him.
14 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
6. This business never ends till life ends. They that under-
take this laborious, careful, expensive, self-denying business,
must not expect to rest from their labours, till death shall have
put an end to them. The long continuance of the work which
Noah undertook was what especially made it a ^reat underta-
king. This also was what made the travel of the children of
Israel throu^^h Ihe wilderness appear so great to them, that it was
continued for so long a time. Their spirits failed, they were dis-
couraged, and had not a heart to go through with so great an
undertaking.
But such is this business that it runs parallel with life,
whether it be longer or shorter. Although we should live to a
great age, our race and warfare will not be finished till death
shall come. We must not expect that an end will be put to our
labour, and care, and strife, by any hope of a good estate which
we may obtain. Past attainments and past success will not ex-
cuse us from what remains for the future, nor will they make
future constant labour and care not necessary to our salvation.
III. Men should be willing to engage in and go through this
business, however great and difficult it may seem to them, seeing
it is for their own salvation. — Because,
1. A deluge of wrath will surely come. The inhabitants
of the old world would not believe that there would come such
a flood of waters upon the earth, as that of which Noah told them,
though he told them often ; neither would they take any care
to avoid the destruction. Yet such a deluge did come; nothing
of all those things of which Noah had forewarned them, failed.
So there will surely come a more dreadful deluge of divine
wrath on this wicked world. We are often forewarned of it in
the scriptures, and the world, as then, doth not believe any such
thing. Yet the threatening will as certainly be accomplished, as
the threatening denounced against the old world. A day of wrath
is coming ; it will come at its appointed season ; it will not tarry,
it shall not be delayed one moment beyond its appointed time.
2. All such as do not seasonably undertake and go through
the great work mentioned, will surely be sxvalloioed up in this
deluge. When the floods of wrath shall come, they will
universally overwhelm the wicked world : all such as shall not
have taken care to prepare an ark, will surely be swallowed up
in it : they will find no other way of escape. In vain shall
salvation be expected from the hills, and from the multitude of
mountains ; for the flood shall be above the tops of all the
mountains. Or if they shall hide themselves in the caves and
dens of the mountains, there the waters of the flood will find
them out, and there shall they miserably perish.
As those of the old world who were not in the ark perished,
(Gen. vii. 21 — 23.) so all who shall not have secured to them-
SER. I. The Manner of seeking Salvation. 15
selves a place in the spiritual ark of the Gospel, shall perish
much more miserably than the old world. — Doubtless the in-
habitants of the old world had many contrivances to save them-
selves. Some, we may suppose, ascended to the tops of their
houses, being driven out of one story to another, till at last
they perished. Others climbed to the tops of high towers ;
who yet were washed thence by the boisterous waves of the
rising flood. Some climbed to the tops of trees ; others to the
tops of mountains, and especially of the highest mountains.
But all was in vain ; the flood sooner or later swallowed them
all up, only Noah and his family, who had taken care to pre-
pare an ark, remained alive.
So it will doubtless be at the end of the world, when Christ
shall come to judge the world in righteousness. Some, when
they shall look up and see him coming m the clouds of heaven,
shall hide themselves in closets, and secret places in their
houses. Others, flying to the caves and dens of the earth, shall
attempt to hide themselves there. Others shall call upon the
rocks and mountains to fall on them, and cover them from the
face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of
the Lamb. — So it will be after the sentence is pronounced, and
wicked men see that terrible fire coming, which is to burn this
world for ever, and which will be a deluge of fire and will burn
the earth even to the bottoms of the mountains, and to its very
centre. (Deut. xxxiii. 22,) " For a fire is kindled in mine
anger and shall burn to the lowest hell, and shall consume the
earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the
mountains." I say, when the wicked shall, after the sentence,
see this great fire beginning to kindle, and to take hold of this
earth ; there will be many contrivances devised by them to
escape, some flying to caves and holes in the earth, some hiding
themselves in one place, and some in another. But let them
hide themselves where they will, or let them do what they will,
it will be utterly in vain. Every cave shall burn as an oven, the
rocks and mountains shall melt with fervent heat, and if they
could creep down to the very centre of the earth, still the heat
would follow them, and rage with as much vehemence there, as
on the very surface.
So when wicked men, who neglect their great work in
their lifetime, who are not willing to go through the difficulty
and labour of this work, draw near to death, they sometimes do
many things to escape death, and put forth many endeavours to
lengthen out their lives at least a little longer. For this end
they send for physicians, and perhaps many are consulted, and
their prescriptions are punctually observed. They also use
many endeavours to save their souls from hell. They cry to
God ; they confess their past sins ; they promise future refor-
mation : and, oh ! what would they not give for some small
16 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
addition to their lives, or some hope of future happiness. But
all proves in vain : God hath numbered their days and finished
them ; and as they have sinned away the day of grace, they
must even bear the consequence, and for ever lie down in
sorrow.
3. The destruction, when it shall come, will be injinitely
terrible. The destruction of the old world by the flood was
terrible ; but that eternal destruction which is comiug on the
wicked is infinitely more so. That flood of waters was but an
image of this awful flood of divine vengeance. When the
waters poured down, more like spouts or cataracts, or the fall
of a great river, than like rain ; what an awful appearance was
there of the wrath of God ! This however is but an image of
that terrible out-pouring of the wrath of God which shall be
for ever, yea for ever and ever, on wicked men. And when the
fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the waters
burst forth out of the ground, as though they had issued out of
the womb, (Job xxxviii. 8,) this was an image of the mighty
breakings forth of God's wrath, which >hall be, when the flood-
gates of wrath shall be drawn up. How may we suppose that
the wicked of the old world repented that they had not heark-
ened to the warnings which Noah had given them, when they
saw these dreadful things, and saw that they must perish ! How
much more will you repent your refusing to hearken to the
gracious warnings of the gospel, when you shall see the fire of
God's wrath against you, pouring down from heaven, and
bursting on all sides out of the bowels of the earth.
4. Though the work which is necessary in order to man's
salvation be a great work, yet it is not impossible. What was
required of Noah, doubtless appeared a very great and difficult
undertaking. Yet he undertook it with resolution, and he was
carried through it. So if we undertake this work with the same
good will and resolution, we shall undoubtedly be successful.
However difficult it be, yet multitudes have gone through it,
and have obtained salvation by the means. It is not a work
beyond the faculties of our nature, nor beyond the oppor-
tunities which God giveth us. If men will but take warning
and hearken to counsel, if they will but be sincere and in good
earnest, be seasonable in their work, lake their opportunities,
use their advantages, be steadfast and not wavering ; they shall
not fail.
APPLICATION.
The use I would make of this doctrine, is to exhort all to
undertake and go through this great work, which they have to
do in order to their salvation, and this, let the work seem ever
so great and difficult. If your nalure^be averse to it. and there
SEii. I. The Manner of seeking Salvation, 17
seems to be very frightful things in the way, so that your heart
is ready to fail at the prospect ; yet, seriously consider what
has been said, and act a wise part. Seeing it is for yourselves,
for your own salvation ; seeing it is for so great a salvation, for
your deliverance from eternal destruction ; and seeing it is of
such absolute necessity, in order to your salvation, that the
deluge of divine wrath will come, and there will be no escaping
it without preparing an ark ; is it not best for you to under-
take the work, engage in it with your might, and go through it,
though this cannot be done without great labour, care, difficulty,
and expense ?
I would by no means flatter you concerning this work, or
go about to make you believe, that you shall find an easy, light
business of it : No, I would not have you expect any such
thing. I would have you sit down and count the cost; and if
you cannot find it in your hearts to engage in a great, hard,
laborious, and expensive undertaking, and to persevere in it to
the end of life, pretend not to be religious. Indulge yourselves
in your ease ; follow your pleasures ; eat, drink, and be merry;
even conclude to go to hell in that way, and never make any
more pretences of seeking your salvation. Here consider seve-
I'al things in particular.
1. How oft ett you have been warned of the approaching
flood of God's wrath. How frequently have you been told of
hell, heard the threatenings of the word of God set before you,
and been warned to flee from the wrath to come. It is with
you as it was with the inhabitants of the old world. Noah
warned them abundantly of the approaching flood, and coun-
selled them to take care for their safety. 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. —
Noah warned them in words ; and he preached to them. He
warned them also in his actions. His building the ark, which
took him so long a time, and in which he employed so many
hands, was a standing warning to them. All the blows of the
hammer and axe, during the progress of that building, were so
many calls and warnings to the old world, to take care for their
preservation from the approaching destruction. Every knock
of the workmen was a knock of Jesus Christ at the door of their
hearts : Bat they would not hearken. All these warnings,
though repeated every day, and continued for so long a time,
availed nothing.
Now, is it not much so with you, as it was with them ? How
often have you been warned! how have you heard the warning
knocks of the gospeh sabbath after sabbath, for these many
years ! Yet how have some of you no more regarded them than
the inhabitants of the old world regarded the noise of the work-
men's tools in Noah's ark !
Vol. VL 3
18 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Obj. But here possibly it may be objected by some, that
though it be true they have often been told of hell, yet they
never saw any thing of it, and therefore they cannot realize it
that there is any such place. They have often heard of hell,
and are told that wicked men, when they die, go to a most
dreadful place of torment ; that hereafter there will be a day of
judgment, and that the world will be consumed by fire. But
how do they know that it is really so ? How do they know what
becomes of those wicked men that die ? None of them come
back to tell them. They have nothing to depend on but the
word which they hear. And how do they know that all is not
a cunningly-devised fable ?
Ans. The sinners of the old world had the very same ob-
jection against what Noah told them of a flood about to drown
the world. Yet the bare word of God proved to be sufficient
evidence that such a thing was coming. What was the reason
that none of the many millions then upon earth believed what
Noah said, but this, that it was a strange thing, that no such
thing had ever before been known ? And what a strange story
must that of Noah have appeared to them, wherein he told them
of a deluge of waters above the tops of the mountains ! There-
fore it is said, Heb. xi. 7, that " Noah was warned of God
of things not seen as yet." It is probable, none could conceive
how it could be that the whole woi'ld should be drowned in a
flood of waters ; and all were ready to ask, where there was
water enough for it ; and by what means it should be brought
upon the earth ? Noah did not tell them how it should be brought
to pass ; he only told them that God had said that it should be :
and that proved to be enough. The event shewed their folly
in not depending on the mere word of God, who was able, who
knew how to bring it to pass, and who could not lie.
In like manner the word of God will prove true, in threat-
ening a flood of eternal wrath to overwhelm all the wicked.
You will believe it when the event shall prove it, when it shall
be too late to profit by the belief. The word of God will never
fail; nothing is so sure as that; heaven and earth shall pass
away, but the word of God shall not pass away. It is firmer than
mountains of brass. At the end, the vision will speak and not
lie. The decree shall bring forth, and all wicked men shall
know that God is the Lord, that he is a God of truth, and that
they arc fools who will not depend on his word. The wicked of
the old world counted Noah a fool for depending so much on
the word of God, as to put himself to all the faitigue and ex-
pense of building the ark ; but the event shewed that they them-
selves were the fools, and that he was wise.
2. Consider that the Spirit of God will not always strive
witli you : nor will his long-suffering always wait upon you»
SER. T« The Mamici' of seeking Salvation, 19
So God said concerning the inhabitants of the old world, Gen,
vi. 3. '• My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he
also is flesh ; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty
years." All this while God was striving with them. It was a
day of grace with them, and God's long suffering all this while
waited upon them. (1 Pet. iii. 20.) " Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the
days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." All this while
they had an opportunity to escape, if they would but hearken
and believe God.
Even after the ark was finished, which seems to have been
but little before the flood came, still there was an opportunity :
the door of the ark stood open for some time. There was some
time during which Noah was employed in laying up stores in the
ark. Even then it was not too late ; the door of the ark yet
stood open. — About a week before the flood came, Noah was
commanded to begin to gather in the beasts and birds. During
this last week still the door of the ark stood open. But on the
very day that the flood began to come, while the rain was yet
withheld, Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their wives,
went into the ark; and we are told, Gen. vii. 16, " That God
shut him in." Then the day of God's patience was past ; the
door of the ark was shut ; God himself, who shuts and no man
opens, shut the door. Then all hope of their escaping the flood
was past; it was too late to repent that they had not hearkened
to Noah's warnings, and had not entered into the ark while the
door stood open.
After Noah and his family had entered into the ark, and
God had shut them in, after the windows of heaven were opened,
and they saw how the waters were poured down out of heaven,
we may suppose that many of those who were near came run-
ning to the door of the ark, knocking, and crying most piteously
for entrance. But it was too late ; God himself had shut the
door, and Noah had no license, and probably no power to open
it. We may suppose, they stood knocking and calling. Open to
us, open to us ; O let us in ; we beg that we may be let in. And
probably some of them pleaded old acquaintance with Noah ;
that they had always been his neighbours, and had even helped
him to build the ark. But all was in vain. There they stood
till the waters of the flood came, and without mercy swept them
away from the door of the ark.
So it will be with you, if you continue to refuse to hearken
to the warnings which are given you. Now God is striving with
you; now he is warning you of the approaching flood, and call-
ing upon you sabbath after sabbath. Now the door of the ark
stands open. But God's spirit will not always strive with you ;
his long suffering will not always wait upon you. There is an
20 XWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
appointed day of God's patience, which is as certainly linnited as
it was to the old world. God hath set your bounds, which you
cannot pass. Though now warnings are continued in plenty,
yet there will be last knocks and last calls, the last that ever you
shall hear. When the appointed time shall be elapsed, God
will shut the door, and you shall never see it open again ; for God
shutteth and no man openeth. — If you imjirove not your oppor-
tunity before that time, you will cry in vain, " Lord, Lord,
open to us." (Matt. xi. 12. and Luke xiii. 25, &;c.) While you
shall stand at the door with your piteous cries, the flood of God's
wrath will come upon you, overwhelm you, and" you shall not
escape. The tempest shall carry you away without mercy, and
you shall be for ever swallowed up and lost.
3. Consider how mighty the billows of divine wrath will
be when they shall come. The waters of Noah's flood were
very great. The deluge was vast ; it was very deep ; the billows
reached fifteen cubits above the highest mountains ; and it was
an ocean which had no shore ; signifying the greatness of that
wrath which is coming on wicked men in another world, which
will be like a mighty flood of waters overwhelming them, and
rising vastly high over their heads, with billows reaching to the
very heavens. Those billows will be higher, and heavier than
mountains on their poor souls. The wrath of God will be an
ocean without shores, as Noah's flood was : it will be misery
that will have no end.
The misery of the damned in hell can be better represented
by nothing, than by a deluge of misery, a mighty deluge of wrath,
which will be ten thousand times worse than a deluge of waters;
for it will be a deluge of liquid fire, as in the scriptures it is
called a lake of fire and brimstone. — At the end of the world all
the wicked shall be swallowed up in a vast deluge of fire, which
shall be as great and as mighty as Noah's deluge of water.
(See 2 Pet. iii. 5, G, 7.) After that the wicked will have mighty
billows of fire and brimstone eternally rolling over their poor
souls, and their miserable tormented bodies. Those billows
may be called vast liquid mountains of fire and brimstone. And
when one billow shall have gone over their heads, another shall
follow, without intermission, giving them no rest day nor night
to all eternity.
4. This flood of wrath will probably come upon you suddenly,
when you shall think little of it, and it shall seem far from you.
so the flood came upon the old world ; See Matt. xxiv. 36, &c.
— Probably many of them were surprised in the night by the
waters bursting in suddenly at their doors, or under the founda-
tions of their houses, coming in upon them in their beds. For
when the fountains of the great deep were broken up, the wa-
ters, as observed before, burst forth in mighty torrents. To such
,SER. I. Tlie Manner of seeking Salvation. 2 1
a sudden surprise of the wicked of the old world in the night,
probably that alludes in Job xxvii. 20. " Terrors take hold on
him as waters; a tempest stealeth him away in the night."
So destruction is wont to come on wicked men, who hear
many warnings of approaching destruction, and yet will not be
influenced by them. For " he that is often reproved, and
hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that with-
out remedy." (Prov. xxix. 1.) And '-when they shall say,
Peace and safety ; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,
as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape."
1 Thess. V. 3.
5. If you will not hearken to the many warnings which are
given you of approaching destruction, you will be guilty of more
than brutish madness, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the
ass his master's crib." They know upon whom they are de-
pendent, and whom they must obey, and act accordingly. But
you, so long as you neglect your own salvation, act as if you knew
not God, your creator and proprietor, nor your dependence
upon him. — The very beasts, when they see signs of an ap-
proaching storm, will betake themselves to their dens for shelter.
Yet you, when abundantly warned of the approaching storm of
divine vengeance, will not fly to the hiding place from the storm,
and the covert from the tempest. The sparrow, the swallow,
and other birds, when they are forewarned of approaching
winter, will betake themselves to a safer climate. Yet you who
have been often forewarned of the piercing blasts of divine
wrath, will not, in order to escape them, enter into the New
Jerusalem, of most mild and salubrious air, though the gate stands
wide open to receive you. The very ants will be diligent in
summer to lay up for winter : Yet you will do nothing to lay up
in store a good foundation against the time to come. Balaam's
ass would not run upon a drawn sword, though his master, for
the sake of gain, would expose himself to the sword of God's
wrath; and so God made the dumb ass, both in words and
actions, to rebuke the madness of the prophet, 1 Pet. ii. 16. In
like manner, you, although you have been often warned that
the sword of God's wrath is drawn against you and will certainly
be thrust through you, if you proceed in your present course,
still proceed regardless of the consequence.
So God made the very beasts and birds of the old world to
rebuke the madness of the men of that day : For they, even all
sorts of them, fled to the ark, while the door was yet open :
which the men of that day refused to do ; God hereby thus sig-
nifying, that their folly was greater than that of the very brute
creatures. — Such folly and madness are you guilty of, who refuse
to hearken to the warnings that are given you of the approaching
flood of the wrath of God,
22 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
You have been once more warned to-day, while the door of
the ark yet stands open. You have, as it were, once again heard
the knocks of the hammer and axe in the building of the ark, to
put you in mind that a flood is approaching. Take heed therefore
thai you do not still stop your ears, treat these warnings with a
regardless heart, and still neglect the great work which you have
to do, lest the flood of wrath suddenly come upon you, sweep
you away, and there be no remedy.
SERMON 11^
THE UNREASONABLENESS OF INDETERMINATION IN
RELIGION.
1 Kings xviii. 21.
And Elijah came unto all the people^ and said, How long halt
ye between two opinions ? If the Lord he God, follow him ;
hut if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not
a word.
It is the manner of God, before he bestows any signal mercy
on a people, first to prepare them for it ; and before he removes
any awful judgments which he hath brought upon them for their
sins, first to cause them to forsake Ihose sins which procured
those judgments. We have an instance of this in the context.
— It was a time of sore famine in Israel. There had been nei-
ther rain nor dew for the space of three years and six months.
This famine was brought upon the land for their idolatry. But
God was now about to remove this judgment; and therefore, to
prepare them for it, sends Elijah to convince them of the folly
of idolatry, and to bring them to repentance for it. in order to
this, Elijah, by the command of the Lord, goes and shews him-
self to Ahab, and directs him to send and gather all Israel to him
at Mount Carmel, and all the prophets of Baal, four hundred and
fifty, and the prophets of the groves that ate at Jezebel's table,
four hundred, that they might determine the matter and bring
the controversy to an issue, whether Jehovah or Baal were God.
To this end, Elijah proposes, that each should take a bullock,
that he should take one, and the prophets of Baal another, that
each should cut his bullock in pieces, lay it on the wood, and
put no fire under ; and that the God who should answer by fire
should be concluded to be God.
The text contains an account of what Elijah said to all the
people at their first meeting, and of their silence : " And Elijah
came unto all the people, and said. How long halt ye between
two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him •, but if Baal,
* Dated, June 173^.
24 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
then follow him." To which the people, it seems, made no
reply. In these words, we may observe,
1. How Elijah expostulates with the people about their
baiting so long between two opinions ; in which expostulation
may be observed,
(1.) What the two opinions were, between which they
halted, viz. Whether the Lord were God, or whether Baal were
God. The case in Israel seems to have been this ; there were
some who were altogether for Baal, and wholly rejected the
true God; of which number, to be sure, were Jezebel and the
prophets of Baal. And there were some among them who
were altogether for the God of Israel, and wholly rejected Baal :
as God told Elijah, that " he had yet left in Israel seven thou-
sand that had not bowed the knee to Baal, and whose mouths
had not kissed him.'' 1 Kings xix. 18.
But the rest of the people halted between two opinions.
They saw that some were for one, and some for the other, and
they did not know which to choose; and, as is commonly the
case when difference of opinion prevails, there were many who
had no religion at all ; they were not settled in any thing ; the
different opinions prevalent in Israel distracted and confounded
them. Many who professed to believe in the true God, were
yet very cold and indifferent, and many were wavering and un-
settled. They saw that the king and queen were for Baal ; and
Baal's party was the prevailing party ; but their forefathers had
been for the Lord ; and they knew not which were right. Thus
they halted between two opinions.
(^2.) In this expostulation is implied the unreasonableness
of their thus halting between two opinions. '"How long halt
ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him :
but if Baal, then follow him." Which implies that they ought
to determine one way or the other.
2. Wc may observe their silence on this occasion: "And
the people answered him not a word," as being convicted in
their own consciences of the unreasonableness of their being for
so long a time wavering and unresolved ; they had nothing to
reply in excuse for themselves.
Doctrine. Unresohedness in religion is very unrea-
i>07iable,
I. Prop. Many persons remain exceedingly undetermined
with respect to religion. They are very much undetermined in
themselves whether to embrace religion or to reject it. Many
who are baptized, and make a profession of religion, and seem
to be Christians, are yet in their own minds halting between two
opinions : they never yet came fully to a conclusion whether to
be Christians or not. They are taught the Christian religion in
their childhood, and have the Bible, the word preached, and the
means of grace all their days : vet continue, and grow up. and
SER. II. The unreasonableness of Indetermination, tfrc. 25
many grow old, in an unresolvedness whether to embrace
Christianity or not; and many continue unresolved as long as
they live.
1 . There are some persons who have never come to a
settled determination in their own minds, whether or no there be
any t7-uth in religion. They hear of the things of religion from
their childhood all their days ; but never come to a conclusion
in their own minds whether they be real or fabulous. Parti-
cularly, some have never come to any determination in their
own minds, whether there be any such thing as conversion. —
They hear much talk about it, and know that many pretend to
be the subjects of it; but they are never resolved whether all
be not merely designed hypocrisy and imposture.
Some never come to any determination whether the scrip-
tures be the word of God, or whether they be the invention of
men ; and whether the story concerning Jesus Christ be any
thing but a fable. They fear it is true, but sometimes very
much doubt of it. Sometimes when they hear arguments for it
they assent that it is true ; but upon every little objection or
temptation arising, they call it in question ; and are always
wavering, and never settled about it.
So it seems to have been with many of the Jews in Christ^s
time ; they were always at a loss what to make of him, whether
he were indeed the Christ, or whether he were Elias, or one of
the old prophets, or a mere impostor. John x. 24, 25. "Then
came the Jews round about him, and said unto him. How long
dost thou make us to doubt ? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed
not." Some have never so much as come to a resolution in
their own minds, whether there be a God or not. They know
not that there is, and oftentimes very much doubt of it.
2. There are some who never have come to any determina-
tion in their own minds whether to embrace religion in the prac-
tice of it. Religion consists not merely, or chiefly in theory or
speculation, but in practice. It is a practical thing ; the end of
it is to guide and influence us in our practice : and considered
in this view, there are multitudes who never have come to a con-
clusion whether to embrace religion or not. It is probably
pretty general for men to design to be religious some time or
other before they die ; for none intend to go to hell. But they
still keep it at a distance ; they put it off" from time to time, and
never come to any conclusion which determines them in their
present practice. And some never so much as fix upon any
time. They design to be religious some time before they die,
but they know not when.
There are many who have always continued unresolved
about the necessity of striving and being earnestly engaged for
salvation. They flatter themselves that they may obtain salva-
VOL. VI. 4
26 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
tion, though they be not so earnestly engaged ; though they
mind the world and their worldly affairs more than their salva-
tion. They are often told how necessary it is that they make
haste and not delay, that they do whatever their hand findeth
to do with their might; that a dull, slack way of seeking sal-
vation, is never likely to be effectual. But of these things they
are never thoroughly convinced. Some seem to resolve to be
in earnest, and seem to set out with some engagedness of mind ;
but soon fail, because they have never been fully convinced of
its necessity.
Many have never come to a determination what to choose
for their portion. There are but two things which God offers
to mankind for their portion : one is this world, with the plea-
sures and profits of sin, together with eternal misery ensuing :
the other is heaven and eternal glory, with a life of self-denial and
respect to all the commands of God. Many, as long as they
live, come to no settled determination which of these to choose.
They must have one or the other, they cannot have both ; but
they always remain in suspense, and never make their choice.
They would fain have heaven and this world too ; they
would have salvation, and the pleasures and profits of sin too.
But considering heaven and the world, as God offers them, they
will have neither. God offers heaven only with the self-denial
and difficulty which are in the way to it ; and they are not will-
ing to have heaven on these conditions. God offers the world
and the pleasures of sin to men not alone, but with eternal mi-
sery in connexion with them : and so neither are they willing to
have the world. They would fain divide heaven from the holi-
ness and self-denial which are the way to it, and from the holi-
ness which reigns in it, and then they would be glad to have
heaven. They would fain divide sin from hell, and then they
would fully determine for ever to cleave to sin.
But God will not make such a division for them- They
must have one or the other of these for their portion, as God
offers ; and therefore they never make any choice at all. In-
deed they do practically and in effect choose sin and hell. But
they do not come to any resolution in their ow7i minds which
they will have for their portion, whether heaven and holiness, or
the world and hell : they are always wavering and halting be-
tween two opinions. Sometimes they seem to determine for
the one, and sometimes for the other. When they meet with
no difficulty or temptation, and can, as they say, do their duty
without hurting themselves or much crossing their carnal in-
clinations, they seem to choose heaven and holiness. At other
times, wherein they meet with difficulty in the way of duty, and
great temptations of worldly profits or pleasures are laid before
them, then they choose the world, and let heaven and holiness
alone. — There are among us vast multitudes before whom these
HER, II. The Unreasonableness of Indetermination, S/c. 27
two things have been set hundreds of times, who have never to
this day conae to a determination which to have.
So they have never yet determined which shall be their
master, whether God or Mammon. There are but few who
have undertaken the service of God, and are come to a resolu-
tion and preparedness of mind to serve God, and follow Christ
at all times, and to whatever difficulties it may expose them.
Yet, at the same time, neither are they determined that they
will continue to serve Satan : they are afraid to draw up such
a conclusion. — Thus many spend their lives without making
their choice, though they do in the mean-time practically choose
the service of Satan. These are the persons of whom the
apostle James speaks in chap. i. 8. " The double-minded man
is unstable in all his ways."
II. To continue thus undetermined and unresolved in the
things of religion, is very unreasonable, and that upon the fol-
lowing accounts.
1. In the things of religion, we are to the highest degree
interested. The truth or falsehood of the doctrines of religion
concern us to the highest degree possible. It is no matter of
indifference to us whether there be a God or not ; or whether
the scriptures be the word of God ; or whether Christ be the
Son of God ; or whether there be any such thing as conversion.
It makes an infinite difference to us, whether these things be so
or not. Therefore we are under the greatest obligation in point
of interest to resolve in our minds whether they be true or false.
They who are undetermined whether there be any truth in reli-
gion, and are contented to be so, not inquiring, nor thoroughly
using the means to be determined, act very unreasonably. They
remain in doubt, whether there be any such thing as a heaven or
hell ; are quiet and easy to continue ignorant in this matter ; are
not engaged in their minds to come to a determination ; do not
search and inquire what arguments there are to prove any such
things ; nor diligently weigh and consider the force of them ; but
busy their minds about other things of infinitely less importance;
and act as if they thought it did not much concern them whe-
ther there be a future and eternal state.
If they think that there is not, yet it is a matter of so great
importance, that no wise man would rest until he had satisfied
himself; because if there be such a future state as the scriptures
assert, then we must have our part in it, either in a state of
eternal rewards, or in a state of eternal punishment. So it is
no matter of indifference to us, what we have for our portion,
whether this world with hell, or a life of holiness and self-denial
with heaven. These opposite portions relate, not merely to a
few days in this world, but to eternity. It is infinite madness,
therefore, not to come to a determination.
28 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
So it is no matter of indifference what master we serve,
whether God or Mammon ; or what interest we will pursue,
whether our temporal or eternal interest ; or which we prefer,
the commands of God, or our pleasures, our ease, and conve-
nience. We ought, therefore, to come to some determination
which we will choose.
2. God hath made us reasonable creatures, and capable of
rationally determining for ourselves. Doubtless God hath made
man capable of discovering the truth in matters of religion, of
coming to a good determination in these questions, whether the
scriptures be the word of God, whether there be a future state,
and the like. The resolution of these questions, which it so
much concerns us to determine, is not above our capacities.
God hath not set these things beyond the extent of our faculties.
God hath made us capable of making a wise choice for
ourselves, as to the life we shall choose to lead. He hath given
man so much understanding, as to make him capable of deter-
mining which is best ; to lead a life of self-denial and enjoy
eternal happiness, or to take our swing in sinful enjoyments,
and burn in hell forever. The question is of no difficult de-
termination. It is so far from being a matter too hard for our
reason, that the reason of a child is sufficient to determine this
matter. Therefore, men, in remaining undetermined in these
matters, do not act as reasonable creatures, but make themselves
like "the horse and the mule, which have no understanding,"
Psal. xxxii. 9.
3. God puts into our hands a happy opportunity to deter-
mine for ourselves. What better opportunity can a man desire to
consult his own interest, than to have liberty to choose his
own portion ? God setteth life and death before us. Deut.
XXX. 19. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing ; therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed after thee
may live." See also Ezek. xviii. 31, 32; and chap, xxxiii. 11.
What better opportunity can we desire for securing to ourselves
the greatest good, than to have eternal life and unchangeable
happiness set before us, and offered to our choice ? Therefore
those who neglect coming to a resolution, act unreasonably, be-
cause they stand so much in their own light, and neglect so
glorious an opportunity.
4. The things among which we are to make our choice
are but few in number ; there are but two portions set before
us, one of which must be our portion ; either life or death,
either blessing or cursing ; either a life of universal and perse-
vering obedience with eternal glory, or a worldly, carnal, wicked
life, with eternal misery. If there were many terms in the offer
made us, many things of nearly an equal value, one of which
we must choose, to remain long in suspense and undetermined
SER. II. The Unreasonableness of Indeterminatmi, 4^c. 29
would be more excusable; there would be more reason for
long deliberation before we should fix. But there are only two
terms, there are but two states in another world, in one or the
other of which we must be fixed to all eternity.
And there are but two states in this world, a state of sin,
and a state of holiness ; a natural state, and a converted state.
There is but one way in which we can come to life, which
renders the determination of reason much the easier. There are
but two masters, to one of which we must be reputed the ser-
vants, Baal and Jehovah, God and Mammon : There are but
two competitors for the possession of us, Christ and the devil. —
There are but two paths, in one of which you are to travel,
either in the strait and narrow way which leadeth unto life,
or the broad way which leadeth unto destruction.
This shews the unreasonableness of those who live under
light, and have the offers of the gospel made to them, and yet
remain from year to year unfixed and undetermined, halting
between two opinions.
5. God hath given us all needed helps to determine us.
We have all needful helps to determine our understandings,
as to the truth of the things of religion, as whether there be a
God, whether the scriptures be the word of God, whether
there be a future state, &:c. We are not left in the dark as to
these things, as the poor Heathens are, who are under great
disadvantages to come to the knowledge of the truth, though
they be not under an impossibility, for they may haply feel
after God and find him, Acts xvii. 27. But we have a clear
sunshine to guide us, we have a particular description of those
things which are set up before us for truth, and have great op-
portunity to examine them. The scripture lies open before
us, and all the doctrines of the gospel are particularly set forth,
with the reasons on which their evidence is founded. We may
search and try their force and sufficiency, as we please.
We have great helps to a wise and rational determination
in our choice ; to determine whether it be best for us to choose
a life of sin or a life of holiness, the service of God or the
service of Baal. We have very plainly set before us the ad-
vantages of both sides ; the loss and gain are particularly
stated. Christ hath dealt by us faithfully, and hath told us
what we shall get, and what we shall lose, by being his fol-
lowers. He hath also told us what we shall get, and what we
shall lose by a life of sin. He hath not dealt by us deceitfully.
He hath not pretended greater advantages in godliness than
there really are, nor greater disadvantages or dangers in sin;
John xiv. 2. " In my father's house are many mansions. If it
were not so, I would have told you."
He hath told us plainly that we must take up the cross
daily and follow him ; that we must hate father and mother.
30 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, and our owi.
life also, in order to become his disciples ; and that we must
cut off our right hands, and pluck out our right eyes, in order
to enter into heaven. Thus we have a fair opportunity to
count the costs on both sides, and are directed so to do :
Luke xiv. 28. — How unreasonable therefore is it for men who
have all these helps and advantages, to remain in suspense,
and to come to no conclusion whether they will be Christians
or Heathens, whether they will be for God or the devil ; though
they have lived under the preaching of the word and offers of
the gospel for many years.
6. We have no reason to expect to be under better ad-
vantages to determine hereafter than we are now. We never
shall have a clearer revelation of gospel truth ; never shall have
the advantages and <lisadvantages of both sides more plainly set
before us, than they are already in the word of God ; nor
are we ever like to be under better advantages to know what
will be best for us, and most for our interest. Those therefore
who delay, gain nothing by their delays, but give Satan more
opportunity to darken their minds, to deceive them, and lead
them astray in their choice. Therefore their delay of coming
to a resolution is unreasonable.
7. If they come not to a determination in this life, God
will determine for them, and will appoint them their portion
with the wicked. If sinners, by refusing to choose either life
or death, either heaven or hell, could thereby avoid both, or if
in this case the matter would remain undetermined, till they
should determine it ; the folly and unreasonableness of delaying
a determination would not be so great. But that is not the
case ; if they go on halting between two opinions, God will
determine for them, and that quickly ; he will determine where
their portion shall be, viz. among the unbelievers, in the lake
that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever. God will not
wait upon them always, to see what they will choose ; but he
will put an issue to the matter by his unalterable sentence. —
Therefore it becomes all, if they are afraid to have their lot
assigned them in hell, to come soon to a determination.
8. Delay in this case is unreasonable, because those who
delay know not how soon the opportunity of choosing for
themselves will be past. This opportunity will last no longer
than life ; when once life is past, they will no more have
the offer made them ; the sentence will be past ; the matter
will be closed.
Those who delay their choice in this world, will be glad to
choose afterwards •, then they will not be at a loss which to
choose ; they will be able easily to determine. The judgments
of sinners, after this life, are soon resolved, whether there be
SEn. II. 2'Ae Unreasonableness of Indeterminalion,ii-c. 31
any truth in religion or not; they can soon determine which
is most eligible, — a life of obedience and self-denial, with hea-
ven for a reward, or a life of irreligion and sin, with hell for
a punishment. They no longer halt between two opinions ;
but it is too late, their opportunity is past. They would give
all the world for another opportunity to choose ; they would
then soon come to a determination. But it will not be granted
them.
APPLICATION.
T. Let this put every one upon examining himself, whether
or no he have ever yet come to a full determination in the affair
of religion.
First, Inquire whether you have yet come to a full deter-
mination with respect to the truth of the things of religion.
Have you ever been fully convinced ? Is it a question which
has been answered and determined with you, whether there be
a future state ; or does it yet remain a question with you unre-
solved ? Are you not yet to seek whether there be any future
state, and whether or no the story about Jesus Christ be any
more than a fable ? Here I desire you to note two things.
1. If the main reason why you assent to the truth of reli-
gion be, that others believe so, and you have been so instructed
from your childhood, you are of those with whom the truth of
religion yet remains undetermined. Tradition and education
will never fix and settle the mind in a satisfactory and effectual
belief of the truth. Though men, taking religion upon trust,
may seem to give a full assent to the truth of religion, and not
to call it in question, yet such a faith will not stand a shock ; a
temptation easily overthrows it. The reason of man, in time
of trial, will not rest on so poor an evidence.
There are multitudes who seem to grant the truth of re-
ligion, with whom the main foundation of their faith is the
tradition of their fathers, or the profession of their neighbours ;
and it is to be feared, it is so with many who count themselves
good Christians. But as to all such persons as never have seen
any other evidence to satisfy them, either of the truth or false-
hood of religion, they only halt between two opinions. — The
same may be said of those who are unstable in their disposition
with regard to Christ, or the things which he taught.
2. If you are fully come to a determination concerning the
things of religion, that they are true, they will be of weight with
you above all things in the world. If you be really convinced
that these things are no fable, but reality, it is impossible but
that you must be influenced by them above all things in the
world ; for these things are so great, and so infinitely exceed all
temporal things, that it cannot be otherwise. He that really is
32 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
convinced, that there is a heaven and hell, and an eternal judg-
ment ; that the soul, as soon as parted from the body, appears
before the judgment seat of God ; and that the happiness and
misery of a future state is as great as the scripture represents
it ; or that God is as holy, just, and jealous, as he hath declar-
ed concerning himself in his word ; I say, he that is really
convinced, and hath settled it with himself, that these things are
certainly true, will be influenced by them above all things in the
world. He will be more concerned by far how he shall escape
eternal damnation, and have the favour of God and eternal life,
than how he shall get the world, gratify the flesh, please his
neighbours, get honour, or obtain any temporal advantage
whatsoever. His main inquiry will not be, what shall I eat, and
what shall I drink, (Sic. but he will seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness.
Examine yourselves therefore by this : Are not your hearts
chiefly set upon the world and the things of it ? Is it not more
your concern, care, and endeavour, to further your outward
interest, than to secure an interest in heaven ? And is not this
the very reason that you have never seen the reality of eternal
things ?
Secondly. Inquire whether you have ever yet come to a de-
termination about religion with respect to the practice of it ;
whether you have chosen heaven with the way to it, viz. the
way of obedience and self-denial, before this world and the ways
of sin ; whether you have determmed upon it as most eligible,
to devote yourselves to the service of God. — Here I shall men-
tion three or four things, which are signs that men halt between
two opinions in this matter.
1. To put off duty till hereafter. When persons love to
keep their duty at a distance, engage not in it for the present,
but think of engaging when they shall be under better conve-
niences for it ; — when they are very good intenders concerning
what they will do to-morrow, but very poor performers to-day ;
when they say, as Felix, " Go thy way for this time, when I
have a convenient season I will call for thee" — it is a sign that
they halt between two opinions, and have never as yet come to
a full determination with respect to the practice of religion.
Those that have once fully determined that religion is necessary
and eligible, will not desire to put it off, but will make it their
present and immediate business.
2. It is a sign of the same thing, when persons are strict
and conscientious in some things, but not universal in their obe-
dience ; do some duties, but live in the omission of others ; avoid
some sins, but allow themselves in others ; are conscientious
with respect to the duties of worship, public and private, but
not in their behaviour to their neighbours ; are not just in their
dealings, nor conscientious in paying their debts ; nor do to
SER. u. The Unreasonableness of Indeterminalion, (^^c. 33
others as they would that they should do to them : but have
crooked, perverse ways in their dealings among mankind.
The same may be said when they are just in their dealings
and trade with men, but are not conscientious in other things ;
indulge sensual appetites, drink to excess, or allow themselves
in wanton practices : Or are honest and temperate, but licen-
tious in using their tongues, backbiting and reproaching their
fellow men, 2 Tim. iii. 6, 7.
3. It is a sign that you halt between two opinions, if you
sometimes are wont to be considerably engaged in religion, but
at other times neglect it ; sometimes forming a resolution to be
in good earnest, then dropping it again ; sometimes seeming to
be really engaged in seeking salvation, and very earnest in reli-
gious duties ; at other times, wholly taken up about the things
of the world, while religion is neglected, and religious duties
are omitted.
These things shew, that you are yet unsettled, have never
yet come to a full determination concerning religion, but are
halting between two opinions, and therefore are thus unstable in
all your ways, and proceed thus by fits and starts in religion,
James i. 6, 7, 8. " But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering :
for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the
wind and tossed. For let not that man think, that he shall re-
ceive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable
in all his ways." If your determination were fixed in religion,
you would be more steady in your practice.
4. It is a sign that you are halting between two opinions, if
it be your manner to balk your duty whenever any notable diffi-
culty comes in the way, considerably cross to your interest, or
very inconsistent with your ease or convenience, or your tempo-
ral honour. Whatever zeal you may seem to have, whatever con-
cern about the things of religion, and however strict you be in
ordinary, you have never, if this be your manner, come to a full
determination ; have never fully made choice of religion and the
benefits of it for your only portion ; and at best have got no
further than king Agrippa, who was almost persuaded to be a
Christian, Acts xxvi. 28. You are in the state of the stony-
ground hearers, you have no root in yourselves, and, like a tree
without root, are easily blown down by every wind.
II. I shall conclude with an earnest exhortation to all, no
longer to halt between two opinions, but immediately to come
to a determination whether to be Christians or not. Let me
insist upon it, that you now make a choice, whether you will
have heaven, with a life of universal and persevering obedience
for your portion ; or hell, with a life spent in the pursuit of this
world. Consider those things which have been said, shewing
the unreasonableness of continuing in such irresolution about an
Vol. VI. 5
34 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
affair of infinite importance to you, and as to which you have
so short an opportunity to make your choice. Consider two
things in addition to what hath been already said.
1. Those who live u der the gospel, and thus continue
undetermined about religion, are more abominable to God than
the heathen. He hates those persons who continue from year
to year, under the calls, and warnings, and instructions, and
entreaties of God's word ; who yet can be brought to nothing ;
who will come to no determination at all; will neither be
Christians nor heathens. These are they who are spoken of in
Rev. iii. 15, 16. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold,
nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou
art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out
of my mouth." — And Ezek. xx, 39. "As for you, O house
Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Go ye, serve ye every one his
idols, and hereafter, also, if ye will not hearken unto me : but
pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your
idols." — These are (2 Tim. iii. 7,) " Ever learning, and never
coming to the knowledge of the truth."
2. If you still refuse to come to a determination whether
to be Christians or not, how just will it be, if God shall give you
no further opportunity! If you refuse to make any choice at
all — after all that hath been done to bring you to it, in setting
life and death so often before you, in calling and warning you,
how just will it be, if God shall wait no longer upon you ; but
shall, by his unalterable sentence, determine the case himself,
and fix your state with the unbelievers, and teach you the truth
and eligibleness of religion, by sad and fatal experience, when it
will be too late for you to choose your portion.
SERMON III.*
UNBELIEVERS CONTEMN THE GLORY AND EXCELLENCY
OF CHRIST.
Acts iv. 11.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you, builders.
In the foregoing chapters we have an account of the out-
pouring of the Holy Ghost on the apostles, and of its extraordinary
effects in their speaking boldly in the name of Jesus, and speak-
ing many strange languages, and so being made the instruments
of the sudden conversion of vast multitudes. And in the chap-
ter immediately preceding, there is an account how Peter and
John miraculously healed a man who had been a cripple from
his birth ; which, together with the word which they spake to
the people that flocked together on the occasion, was the means
of a new accession to the church ; so that the number of them
that heard the word and believed, as we are told in the fourth
verse of this chapter, was about five thousand.
This sudden and extraordinary progress of the gospel
greatly alarmed the priests and scribes, and other chief men
among the Jews ; so that they lajid hands on Peter and John,
and put them in hold, and the next day brought them forth to
appear before them, and called them to an account for what
they had done. They asked them particularly by what power
or by what name, they had wrought the miracle on the impo-
tent man. Upon which Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,
makes answer, " Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that
by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man
stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set
at nought by you builders, which is become the head of the
corner." The apostle quotes to them as now fulfilled, the
Il8th Psalm, ver. 22. " The stone which the builders refused is
'* Dated, May 173R.
36 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
become the head stone of the corner." This text, in that Psalm,
the apostle applies by telling them,
1 . That, This is the stone, i. e. this person of whom he
had spoken in the foregoing verse, viz. Jesus Christ of Naza-
reth, whom they had crucified, and whom Gi.-d had raised from
the dead.
2. That they were the builders spoken of. They before
whom the apostle then was, and to whom he was speaking,
were rulers, and elders, and scribes of the people, the high
priest and other priests. They, as they were set to be rulers
and teachers among God's people, by their office, were called
to be builders of the church of God.
3. That they set this stone at nought. They had so done
by refusing to accept of him. Christ came to his own, and
his own received him not : and not only so, but they had
openly manifested the greatest contempt of him. They had
mocked him, scourged and spit upon him, and in derision
crowned him with a crown of thorns, and arrayed him in
a mock robe, and then had put him to a most ignominious
death.
4. That notwithstanding this, he was become the head of
the corner. In spite of all that they could do, he had obtained
the chief place in the building. God had made him the main
foundation of it, by raising him from the dead, and so putting
great honour upon him ; by pouring out his Spirit, and enduing
his disciples with extraordinary gifts ; by suddenly converting
so many thousands to be the followers of Christ. They put
him to death, that he might have no followers, concluding that
that would utterly put an end to his interest in Judea. But
they were greatly disappointed : for the gospel had incomparabl}'^
greater success after Christ's death than before. God had
accomplished that very thing which they endeavoured to pre-
vent by Christ's crucifixion, viz. Christ's being believed in and
submitted to, as the great prophet of God, and prince of his
people.
DOCTRINE.
Unbelievers set at nought the glory and excellency in
Christ.
1. They set at nought the excellency of his person. —
Christ is a great and glorious person, a person of infinite
worthiness, on which account he is infinitely esteemed and
loved of the Father, and is continually adored by the angels.
But unbelievers have no esteem at all for him on that account.
They have no value for him on account of his being the Son of
God. He is not set the higher in their esteem on the account
SER. in. Unbelievers contemn the Glory of Christ. 37
of his standing in so near and honourable a relation to God the
Father. He is not valued at all the more for his being a divine
person. By his having the divine nature, he is infinitely exalted
above all created beings. But he is not at all exalted by it in
their esteem. They set nothing by his infinite majesty : his
glorious brightness and greatness excite not any true respect or
reverence in them.
Christ is the holy one of God : he is so holy that the heavens
are not pure in his sight. He is possessed of all that holiness
which is the infinite beauty and loveliness of the divine nature.
But an unbeliever sets nothing by the holiness of Christ. Christ
is the wisdom of God, and the power of God, 1 Cor. i. 24.
But an unbeHever sets nothing by his power and wisdom. The
Lord Jesus Christ is full of grace and mercy : the mercy and
love of God appear no where else so brightly and gloriously as
they do in the face of Jesus Christ. But an unbeliever sets no
value at all upon the infinite grace of Christ.
Neither do unbelievers set any thing by those excellent vir-
tues which appeared in Christ's human nature, when he was
upon earth. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate
from sinners ; he was meek and lowly of heart ; he was patient
under afflictions and injuries ; when he was reviled, he reviled
not again. But unbelievers set nothing by these things in Jesus
Christ. They very often hear how excellent and glorious a
person Christ is : they are told of his holiness, and grace, and
condescension, and meekness, and have the excellencies of
Christ plainly sei. forth to them ; yet they set all at nought.
2. They set at nought his excellency in his work and oflice.
They are told how glorious and complete a mediator he is ; how
sufficient to answer all our necessities, and to save sinners to
the uttermost ; but they make light of it all ; yea, they make no-
thing of it. They hear of the wonderful wisdom of God in con-
triving such a way of salvation by Christ; they have the mani-
fold wisdom of God set forth to them ; but they make no account
of the excellency of this way of salvation.
The unbeliever hears what a wonderful thing it was, that
he who was in the form of God, and esteemed it no robbery to
be equal with God, should take upon him the human nature,
and come and live in this world in a mean and low condition ;
but he makes nothing of this. He hears much of the dying
love of Christ to sinners, how wonderful it was that so glorious
a person, who is infinitely above the angels, should so set his
love on such worms of the dust, as to come and be made a
curse for them, and die a cruel and ignominious death in their
stead ; but he sets nothing by all this. This dying love of Christ
is of no account with him ; those great things that Christ hath
done and suffered, are with him light matters.
38 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Unbelievers not only set little by the glory and excellencv
of Christ, but they set nothing by these things. Notwithstand-
ing all the shews and pretences which many natural men make
of respect to Christ, by speaking honourably of him in their
prayers, and in their common conversation, and by coming to
sacraments^ and attending other ordii»ances of Christ ; yet, in-
deed, they do not set so much by all the glory and excellency of
Christ — either of his person or of his work as a Saviour — as
they do by the smallest earthly enjoyment.
I proceed now to mention some evidences of the truth of
this doctrine.
1. They never give Christ any honour on account of his
glory and excellency. They may, and often do pay Christ an
external and seeming respect ; but they do not honour him in
their hearts. They have no exalting thoughts of Christ, no
inward respect or reverence towards him. All their outward
worship is only feigned ; none of it arises from any real honour
or respect in their hearts towards Christ. It is either only for
fashion's sake, and in compliance with custom, or else it is
forced, and what they are driven to by fear, as we read, Psal.
Ixvi. 3. " Through the greatness of thy power, shall thine ene-
mies submit themselves unto thee." In the original, it \s, shall
thine enemies lie unto thee ; i. e., yield a feigned obedience.
Through the greatness of Christ's power, and for fear of his
wrath, his enemies, who have no respect or honour for him in
their hearts, will lie to him, and make a shew of respect when
they have none. ,
An unbeliever is not sensible that Christ is worthy of any
glory, and therefore does not at all seek the glory of Christ in any
thing that he does ; he does nothing in religion, out of respect
to Christ's glory, but wholly for other ends ; which shews that
he sees not Christ to be worthy of any glory. Christ is set last
and lowest in the heart of an unbeliever. He has high thoughts
of other things ; he has high thoughts of created objects and
earthly enjoyments, but mean and low thoughts of Christ.
The unbeliever shews the mean and contemptible thoughts
that he has of Christ, in refusing to accept of him, and in shut-
ting the door of his heart against him. Christ stands at the
door and knocks, and sometimes stands many years knocking at
the door of his heart, but he refuses to open to him. Now it
certainly shews, that men have a very mean thought of a person,
when they shut him out of their doors. Unbelievers shew the
mean and dishonourable thoughts they have of Christ, in that
they dare not trust him. They believe not what he says to be
true ; they will not trust the word of Christ, so far as the word
of one of their honest neighbours, or of a servant whom they
have found to be faithful. It also appears that they have no
real honour for Christ in their hearts, in that they refuse to obey
sER. III. Unbelievers contemn the Glory of Christ, 39
his commands. They do nothing from a spirit of obedience to
him : and that external obedience which they render is but a
forced, feigned obedience, and not from any respect to Christ's
authority or worthiness to be obeyed.
2. They have no love to him on account of his glory and
excellency. If they saw any excellency in Christ, they would
have some measure of love to him- But the truth is, they see
no form or comeliness in Christ, and hence they have no love at
all to him. An unbeliever never exercises one act of true love
to Christ. All that he is told of his divine perfections, of his
holiness, his meekness, and grace, has no influence at all to draw
forth any love. The display of these things doth no more draw
forth love out of the heart of an unbeliever, than it draws forth
love from the stones and rocks.
A natural man hath no love of benevolence towards Christ.
Notwithstanding all that is declared to him of the excellency of
Christ, he has no good-will towards him. He rejoices not in
his glory and happiness ; he would not care what became of
Christ, if he could but escape hell. If Christ should be de-
throned, or should cease to be, he has not so much good-will to
Christ, as would make him concerned about it. And if the
kingdom and interest of Christ in the world should go to ruin,
it would be nowise grievous to the unbeliever, provided his own
interest could be secure.
So also an unbeliever has no love of complacency in Jesus
Christ for his excellency. He takes no delight in the consi-
deration of that excellency of Christ of which he is told. — He
is told that it is exceedingly beautiful and glorious ; but the
thoughts of the glory of Christ are nowise entertaining to him :
he has no delight in the thoughts of it, or in any contemplations
upon it. He takes delight in thinking of earthly objects ; but
when becomes to turn his mind upon Jesus Christ, if ever he so
does, this is to him a dry and barren subject: he finds nothing
there to feed and delight his soul ; no beauty or loveliness to
please or gratify him.
3. Unbelievers have no desires after the enjoyment of
Christ. If they did set any thing by the excellency of Christ
they would have some desires after him on account of that ex-
cellency ; especially when he is offered to them, and is from
time to time set forth as the proper object of their choice and
desires. That which men prize, they are wont to desire,
especially if it be represented to them as attainable, and as fit
and suitable for them. But unbelievers only desire to be deli-
vered from hell, but not to enjoy Christ.
They cannot conceive what happiness there can be in be-
holding Christ and being with him, in seeing his holiness, and
contemplating his w^onderful grace and divine glory. They
have no relish for any such thing, nor appetite after it.
40 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
4. They shew that they set at nought the glory and exce»
lency of Christ, in that they seek not a conformity to that glory
and excellency. A natural man may seek to be holy, but it is
not for holiness' sake, it is only that he may escape wrath. He
has no desires after holiness, nor is it indeed holiness that he
seeks, because he is all the while an enemy to holiness. A na-
tural man has no desires to have his soul conformed to the
glorious beauty and excellency of Christ, nor to have his image
upon him.
If he prized, or delighted in the excellencies of Christ, he
would necessarily desire to be like him so far as he could. This
we see in ourselves and in all men : when we see any qualifica-
tions in others that are pleasing to us, it is natural for us to en-
deavour to imitate, and to be conformed to those persons. —
Hence men are apt to learn of those for whom they have a great
esteem: they naturally fall into an imitation of their ways and
manner of behaviour. But natural men feel within themselves
no disposition or inclination to learn of Christ or to imitate him.
Their tempers and dispositions remain quite contrary to Christ's,
neither do they grow at all better or more conformed to him,
but rather worse. 2 Tim. iii. 13. " Evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse."
APPLICATION.
I. This doctrine may teach us the heinousness of the
sin of unbeliefs as this sin sets all the glory and excellency of
Christ at nought. It often appears strange to natural men, that
unbelief should be spoken of as such a heinous and crying sin.
They cannot see such evil in it. There are other sins which
often trouble their consciences, when this troubles them not at
all, though it be that which brings far greater guilt upon them,
than those sins about which they are more troubled.
What has been said may shew why unbelief is spoken of
as a heinous sin, John iii. 18. and ch. xvi. 9. and 1 John v. 10.
For thereby all the glory of Christ is set at nought, though it be
so great, though it be infinite, though it be the glory of the God-
head itself, and though it has been so gloriously manifested in
what Christ has done and suffered. Natural men in their un-
belief cast contempt on all this glory, and tread it under foot, as
being nothing worth. Their unbelief treats the excellency of
Christ as being of less value than the meanest earthly enjoy-
ments.
II. This doctrine may convict natural men in four parti-
culars.
1. Hereby you may be convinced of the greatness of your
guilt. Consider how great and excellent that Person is, whom
SER. III. Unbelievers contemn the Glory of ChrisU 41
you thus set at nought. Contempt of any person is heinous in
proportion to the worthiness and dignity of the person con-
temned. Though we are but worms of the dust, and very vile
sinful creatures ; yet we take it grievously when we are despised.
Consider how you yourselves are ready to resent it, when any of
your neighbours seem to slight you, and set light by what you
say and do. and to make no account of it but to treat you as if
you were good for nothing, or not worth minding. Do you
take this well of your neighliours and equals, when you observe
any thing of this nature ? Are you not ready to look upon it
with resentment, to think very ill of it, and to judge that you
have great cause to be offended ?
But if it be such a crime to despise you and set you at
nought, what is it to set at nought the eternal infinitely glorious
Son of God, in comparison with whom you and all nations are
nothing and less than nothing, and vanity ? You dislike it much
to be contemned by your equals ; but you would take it yet more
grievously to be despised by your inferiors, by those whom, on
every account you must excel. — What a crime is it then for a
vile, sinful worm, to set at nought him who is the brightness of
tiie glory of the King of kings !
It would be a crime inexpressibly heinous, to set little by
the glory and excellency of such a person ; but it is more so, to
set nothing at all by it, as you do. You have no value at all for
it, as has been shown. And this is the more aggravated, as
Christ is a person whom you so much need, and as he came
into the world out of infinite grace to sinners, to lay down his
life to deliver them from hell, and purchase for them eternal
glory. How much has Christ done and suffered, that you
might have opportunity to be saved ! Yet you set nothing by
the blood of Christ, even that blood which was shed for such
poor sinners as you are, and that is offered to you for your sal-
vation. But you trample under foot the blood of the Son of
God. If Christ had come into the world only to teach us, it
would have been a heinous thing to trample under foot his
word and instructions. But when he came to die for us, how
much more heinous is it to trample under foot his blood !
Men take it hardly to have any of their qualifications or
actions despised, which they esteem commendable. But espe-
cially do they highly resent it when others slight their kindness.
And above all when they put themselves out of their way, and
have denied themselves, and suffered considerably to do others a
kindness ; then to have their kindness despised and set at nought,
is what men would above all things resent. How heinous then
is it, and how exceedingly provoking to God must it be, thus
to set at nought so great kindness and love of Christ, when from
love to sinners he suffered so much?
Vol. VI. 6
42 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Consider how highly the angels, who are so much above
you, do set by the glory and excellency of Christ. They
admire and adore the glory of Christ, and cease not day nor
night to praise the same in the most exalted strains. Rev. v.
11, 12. " And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders : and the
number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands ; saying with a loud voice. Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
The saints admire the excellency of Christ, and the glorious
angels admire it, and every creature in heaven and earth, but
only you unbelieving children of men.
- Consider not only how much the angels set by the glory
of Christ, but how much God himself sets by it : for he is the
darling of heaven, he was eternally God's delight; and because
of his glory God hath thought him worthy to be appointed the
heir of all things, and hath seen fit to ordain that all men should
honour the Son even as they honour the Father. — Is he thus
worthy of the infinite esteem and love of God himself? and is
he worthy of no esteem from you ?
2, Hereby you may be convinced of your danger. You
must needs think that such guilt will bring great wrath.
Dreadful destruction is denounced in scripture against those
that despise only the disciples of Christ, Matt, xviii. 6. What
destruction then will come on them that despise all the glorious
excellency of Christ himself ?
Consider that you not only have no value for all the glory
and excellency of Christ; but you are enemies to him on that
very account. The very ground of that enmity and opposition
which there is between your hearts and Jesus Christ, is the
glorious perfections and excellencies that there are in Jesus
Christ. By being such an holy and excellent Saviour, he is
contrary to your lusts and corruptions. If there were a Saviour
offered to you that was agreeable to your corrupt nature, such
a Saviour you would accept. But Christ being a Saviour of
such purity, holiness and divine perfection, this is the cause why
you have no inclination to him, but are offended in him.
Instead of being a precious stone in your eyes, he is a
stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to you. That he is a
Saviour who hath manifested such divine perfections in what
he hath done and suffered, is one principal reason why you set
nothing by him. Consider how provoking this must needs be
to God the Father, who has given his only begotten Son for
your salvation ; and what wrath it merits from the Son whom
you thus treat. And consider how you will hereafter bear
this \\Tath.
SER. III. Unbelievers contemn the Glory of Christ. 43
Consider that, however Christ be set at nought by you,
he shall be the head of the corner. Though you set him low,
yet he shall be exalted even with respect to you. It is but a
vain thing for you to make light of Christ and treat him with
contempt. How much soever )ou contemn him, you cannot
break his bands asunder, nor cast his cords from you. You
will still be in his hands. While you despise Christ, God will
despise you, and the Lord will have you in derision. God
will set his King on his holy hill of Zion in spite of all his ene-
mies ; Psalm ii. 1 — 6. Though you say, We will not have
this man to reign over us, yet Christ will rule over you ;
Psalm ex. 2., " Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." If
you will not submit to the sceptre of his grace, you shall be
subject to the rod of his wrath, and he will rule you with a rod
of iron ; Psalm ii. 9 — 12.
3. You may hence be led to see how worthless many of
those things in yourselves are, that you have been ready to
make much of. Particularly, if you set nothing by all the glory
of Christ, what are those desires that you have after Christ good
for ? and that willingness that you think you find to come to
Christ ? Sinners are often wont to excuse themselves in their
unbelief, because they see not but that they are willing to come
to Christ, and would gladly come to him if they could. And
they make much of such desires, as though God were unjust to
punish them for not coming to Christ, when they w^ould gladly
come if they could. But this doctrine shows that your willing-
ness and desires to come to Christ are not worthy to be men-
tioned as any excuse ; for they ai'e not from any respect to
Christ, but are merely forced ; you at the same time set nothing
by all his excellency and glory.
So you may hence learn the worthlessness of all your pains
and endeavours after Christ. When sinners have taken a great
deal of pains to get an interest in Christ, they are wont to make
a righteousness of it; little considering that at the very time
they are taking so much pains, they set nothing at all by Christ
for any glory or excellency there is in him ; but set him wholly
at nought, and seek him out of respect to their own interest.
4. Hence learn how justly God might for ever refuse to
give you an interest in Christ. For why should God give you
any part or interest in him whom you set at nought, all whose
glory and excellency you value not in the least, but rather
trample it under your feet.
Why should God give you any interest in him whom you
so despise ? Seeing you despise him, how justly might you be
obliged to go without any interest in him! How justly might
you be refused any part in that precious stone, whose precious-
nesB you esteem no more than that of the stones of the street !
i'l TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Is God obliged to cast such a pearl before swine who will
trample it under their feet ? Is God obliged to make you pos-
sessors of his infinitely glorious and dear Son, when at the same
time you count him not worth the having, for the sake of any
worth or excellency that there is in him ; but merely because
you cannot escape hell without him ?
I
SERMON IV.*
THE FOLLY OF LOOKING BACK IN FLEEING OUT OF
SODOM.
Luke xvii. 32.
Remember LoVs Wife.
Christ here foretels his coming in his kingdom, in answer
to the question which the Pharisees asked him, viz. When the
kingdom of God should come. And in what he says of his
coming, he evidently has respect to two things ; his coming at
the destruction of Jerusalem, and his coming at the end of the
world. He compares his coming at those times to the coming
of God in two remarkable judgments that were past ; first, to
that in the time of the flood ; " and as it was in the days of
Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man." Next
he compares it to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah ;
" likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot, even thus shall it
be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."
Then he immediately proceeds to direct his people how
they should behave themselves at the appearance of the signal
of that day's approaching, referring especially to the destruction
of Jerusalem. " In that day, he which shall be upon the
house-top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to
take it away : and he that is in the field, let him likewise not
return back." In which words Christ shows that they should
make the utmost haste to flee and get out of the city to the
mountains, as he commands. Matt. xxiv. 15, &;c. — "When ye
therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by
Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place ; then let them
which be in Judea flee to the mountains ; let him which is on
the house-top not come down to take any thing out of the
house, neither let him which is in the field turn back to take
his clothes."
Jerusalem was like Sodom, in that it was devoted to de-
struction, by special divine wrath ; and indeed to a more ter-
rible destruction than that of Sodom. Therefore the like
* Dated May, 1735.
46 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
direction is given concerning fleeing out of it with the utmost
haste, without looking behind, as the angel gave to Lot, when
he bid him flee out of Sodom, Gen. xix. 17. " Escape for thy
life ; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain."
And in the text Christ enforces his counsel by the instance of
Lot's wife. He bids them remember her, and take warning by
her, who looked back as she was fleeing out of Sodom, and
became a pillar of salt.
If it be inquired why Christ gave this direction to his peo-
ple to flee out of Jerusalem, in such exceeding haste, at the
first notice of the signal of her approaching destruction ; T
answer, it seems to be, because fleeing out of Jerusalem was a
type of fleeing out of a state of sin. Escaping out of that un-
believing city typified an escape out of a state of unbelief.
Therefore ihey were directed to flee without staying to take
any thing out of their houses, to signify with what haste and
concern we should flee out of a natural condition, that no re-
spect to any worldly enjoyment should prevent us one moment,
and that we should flee to Jesus Christ, the refuge of souls, our
strong rock, and the mount of our defence, so as, in fleeing to
him, to leave and forsake heartily all earthly things.
This seems to be the chief reason also why Lot was
directed to make such haste, and not to look behind ; because
his fleeing out of Sodom was designed on purpose to be a type
of our fleeing from that state of sin and misery in which we
naturally are.
DOCTRINE.
We ought not to look back when we are fleeing out of
Sodom. The following reasons may be suflicient to support
this doctrine :
1. That Sodom is a city full of filthiness and abominations.
It is full of those impurities that ought to be had in the utmost
abhorrence and detestation by all. The inhabitants of it are
a polluted company, they are all under the power and domi-
nion of hateful lusts. All their faculties and afTections are
polluted with those vile dispositions that are unworthy of the
human nature, that greatly debase it, that are exceedingly
hateful to God, and that dreadfully incense his anger. Every
kind of spiritual abomination abounds in it. There is nothing
so hateful and abominable but that there it is to be found, and
there it abounds.
Sodom is a city full of devils and all unclean spirits: there
they have their rendezvous, and there they have their dominion.
There they sport, and wallow in filthiness, as it is said of mystical
Babylon, Rev. xviii. 2. Babylon is become the habitation of
SER. iv. The Folly of looking hack, ^c. 47
devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every
unclean and hateful bird. Who would be of such a society ?
who would not flee from such a city with the utmot^t haste, and
never look back upon it, and never have the least inclination
of returning ?
Some in Sodom may seem to carry a fair face, and make
a fair outward show ; but if we could look into their hearts,
they are every one altogether tilthy and abominable. We
ought to flee from such a city, with the utmost abhorrence of
the place and society, with no desires to dweli longer there,
and never to discover the least inclination to return to it; but
should be desirous to get to the greatest possible distance from
it, that we might in nowise be partakers in her abominations.
2. We ought not to look back when fleeing out of Sodom,
because Sodom is a city appointed to destruction. The cry of
the city hath reached up to heaven. The earth cannot bear
such a burden as her inhabitants are ; she will, therefore, dis-
burden herself of them, and spew them out. God will not
suffer such a city to stand; he will consume it. God is holy,
and his nature is infinitely opposite to all such uncleanness ; he
will, therefore, be a consuming fire to it. The holiness of God
will not suffer it to stand, and the majesty and justice of God
require that the inhabitants of that city who thus offend and
provoke him, be destroyed. And God will surely destroy
them ; it is the immutable and irreversible decree of God. He
hath said it, and he will do it. The decree is gone forth, and
so sure as there is a God, and he is Almighty, and able to fulfil
his decrees and threatenings, so surely will he destroy Sodom.
Gen. xix. 12, 13. " Whatsoever thou hast in this city, bring
them out of this place; for we will destroy this place, because
the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and
the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." And in ver. 14 — " Up,
get ye out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city."
This city is an accursed city ; it is destined to ruin. There-
fore, as we would not be partakers of her curse, and would not
be destroyed, we should flee out of it, and not look behind us,
Rev. xviii. 4. " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
3. We ought not to look back when fleeing out of Sodom,
because the destruction to which it is appointed is exceedingly
dreadful : it is appointed to utter destruction, to be wholly and
entirely consumed. It is appointed to suffer the wrath of the
great God. which is to be poured down from God upon it, like
a dreadful storm of fire and brimstone. This city is to be filled
full of the wrath of God. Every one that remains in it shall
have the fire of God's wrath come down on his head, and into
his soul : he shall be full of fire, and full of the wrath of the
Almighty. He shall be encompassed with fire without, and full
48 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
of fire within : his head, his heart, his bowels, and all his limbs
shall be full of fire, and not a drop of water to cool him.
Nor shall he have any place to flee to for relief. Go
where he will, there is the fire of God's wrath: his destruction
and torment will be inevitable. He shall be destroyed without
any pity. He shall cry aloud, but there shall be none to help,
there shall be none to regard his lamentations, or to afford relief.
The decree is gone forth, and the days come when Sodom shall
burn as an oven, and all the inhabitants thereof shall be as
stubble. As it was in the literal Sodom, the whole city was full
of fire : in their houses there was no safety, for they were all on
fire.; and if they fled out into the street?, they also were full of
fire. Fire continually came down out of heaven every where —
That was a dismal time. What a cry was there then in that
city, in every part of it ! But there was none to help ; they had
no where to go, where they could hide their heads from fire :
they had none to pity or relieve them. If they fled to their
friends, they could not help them.
Now with what haste should we flee from a city appointed
to such a destruction ! and how should we flee without looking
behind us ! how should it be our whole intent, to get at the
greatest distance from a city in such circumstances ! how far
should we be from thinking at all of returning to a city which
has such wrath hanging over it !
4. The destruction to which Sodom is appointed, is an
universal destruction. None that stay in it shall escape : none
will have the good fortune to be in any by-corner, where the
fire will not search them out. All sorts, old and young, great
and small, shall be destroyed. There shall be no exception of
any age, or any sex, or any condition, but all shall perish toge-
ther. Gen. xix. 24, 25. " Then the Lord rained upon Sodom
and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of
heaven, and he overthrew those cities and all the plain, and all
the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the
ground." We, therefore, must not delay or look behind us ; for
there is no place of safety in Sodom, nor in all the plain on
which Sodom is built. The mountain of safety is before us,
and not behind us.
5. The destruction to which Sodom is appointed, is an
everlasting destruction. This is said of the literal Sodom, that
it suffered the vengeance of eternal fire ; Jude vii. " Even as
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like man-
ner, givmg themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of
eternal fire." The destruction that Sodom and Gomorrah suf-
fered, was an eternal destruction : those cities were destroyed,
and have never been built since, and are not capable of being
rebuilt : for the land on which they stood at the time of their
SER. IV. The Folly of looking hack, ^c. 49
destruction, sunk, and has been ever since covered with the lake
of Sodom, or the Dead Sea, or, as it is called in Scripture, the
Salt Sea. This seems to have been thus ordered on purpose
to be a type of the eternal destruction of ungodly men. So that
tire by which they were destroyed, is CdiWed eternal Jire, because
it was so typically ; it was a type of the eternal destruction of
ungodly men ; which may be in part what is intended, when it
is said in that text in Jude, that they were set forth for an ex-
ample, or for a type or representation of the eternal fire in
which all the ungodly are to be consumed.
Sodom has in all ages since been covered with a lake which
was first brought on it by tire and brimstone, to be a type of
the lake of fire and brimstone in which ungodly men shall have
their part for ever and ever, as we read Rev. xx. 15., and else-
where.— We ought not therefore to look back when fleeing out
of Sodom, seeing that the destruction to which it is ap'pointed
is an eternal destruction ; for this renders the destruction infi-
nitely dreadful.
6. Sodom is a city appointed to swift and sudden destruc-
tion. The destruction is not only certain and inevitable, and
infinitely dreadful, but it will come speedily. " Their judg-
ment lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not;"
2 Pet. ii. 3. And so Deut. xxxii. 35., " The day of their cala-
mity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make
haste." The storm of wrath, the black clouds of divine ven-
geance even now every moment hang over them, just ready to
break forth and come down in a dreadful manner upon them.
God hath already whet his sword and bent his bow, and made
ready his arrow on the string. Psalm vii. 12. Therefore we
should make haste, and not look behind us. For if we linger
and stop to look back, and flee not for our lives, there is great
danger that we shall be involved in the common ruin.
The destruction of Sodom is not only swift, but will come
suddenly and unexpectedly. It seems to have been a fair morn-
ing in Sodom before it was destroyed. Gen. xix. 23. It seems
that there were no clouds to be seen, no appearance of any
storm at all, much less of a storm of fire and brimstone. The
inhabitants of Sodom expected no such thing ; even when Lot
told his sons-in-law of it, they would not believe it ; Gen. xix.
14. — They were making merry ; their hearts were at ease, they
thought nothing of such a calamity at hand. But it came at
once, as travail upon a womaii with child, and there was no
escaping; as ver. 28, 29., "They did eat, they drank; they
bought, they sold ; they planted, they builded : but the same
day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone
from heaven, and destroyed them all."
So it is with wicked men; Psalm Ixxiii. 19., " How are
they brought into desolation in a moment : they arc utterlv
Vol, VI. 7 . .
50 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
consumed with terrors/' — If, therefore, we linger and look
back, wc may be suddenly overtaken and seized with de-
struction.
7. There is nothing in Sodom that is worth looking back
upon. All the enjoyments of Sodom will soon perish in the
common destruction; all will be burnt up. And surely it is not
worth the while to look back on things that are perishing and
consuming in the flames, as it is with all the enjoyments of sin ;
they are all appointed to the fire. Therefore it is foolish for
any who are fleeing out of Sodom to hanker any more after
them ; for when they are burnt up, what good can they do ?
And is it worth the while for us to return back for the sake of
a moment's enjoyment of them, before they are burnt, and so
expose ourselves to be burnt up with them?
Lot's wife looked back, because she remembered the plea-
sant things that she left in Sodom. She hankered after them ;
she could not but look back with a wishful eye upon the city,
where she had lived in such ease and pleasure. Sodom was a
place of great outward plenty; they ate the fat, and drank the
sweet. The soil about Sodom was exceedingly fruitful ; it is
said to be as the garden of God, Gen. xii. 10. And fidness of
bread was one of the sins of the place, Ezek. xvi. 49.
Here Lot and his wife lived plentifully ; and it was a place
where the inhabitants wallowed in carnal pleasures and delights.
But however much it abounded in these things, what were they
worth now, when the city was burning ? Lot's wife was very
foolish in lingering in her escape, for the sake of things which
were all on fire. So the enjoyments, the profits, and plea-
sures of sin, have the wrath and curse of God on them : brim-
stone is scattered on them : hell-fire is ready to kindle on them.
It is not therefore worth while for any person to look back after
such things.
8. We are warned bj' messengers sent to us from God, to
make haste in our flight from Sodom, and not to look behind us.
God sends to us his ministers, the angels of the churches, on
this grand errand, as he sent the angels to warn Lot and his wife
to flee for their lives, Gen. xix. 15, 16. If we delay or look
back, now that we have had^uch fair warning, we shall be ex-
ceedingly inexcusable and monstrously foolish.
APPLICATION.
The use that I would make of this doctrine is, to vsaru
those who are in a natural condition to flee out of it, and by no
means to look back. While you are out of Christ, you are in
Sodom. The whole history of the destruction of Sodom, with
all its circumstances, seems to be inserted in the scriptures for
S£R. IV. The Folly of looking back, <S^'C. bl
our warning, and is set forth for an example, as the apostle
Jude says. It, in a lively manner, typifies the case of natural
men, the destruction of those that continue in a natural state,
and the manner of their escape who flee to Christ. The
Psalmist, when speaking of the appointed punishment of un-
godly men, seems evidently to refer to the destruction of Sodom,
Psalm xi. 6. " Upon the wicked, God shall rain snares, fire,
and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : this shall be the por-
tion of their cup."
Consider, therefore, you that are seeking an interest in
Christ, you are to flee out of Sodom. Sodom is the place of
your nativity, and the place where you have spent your lives.
You are citizens of that city which is full of filthiness and abo-
mination before God, that polluted and accursed city. You
belong to that impure society. You not only live among them,
but you are of them, you have committed those abominations,
and have so provoked God as you have heard. It is you that
I have all this while been speaking of under this doctrine ; you
are the inhabitants of Sodom. Perhaps you may look on your
circumstances as not very dreadful ; but you dwell in Sodom.
Though you may be reformed, and appear with a clean outside,
and a smooth face to the world ; yet, as long as you are in a na-
tural condition, you are impure inhabitants of Sodom.
The world of mankind is divided into two companies, or,
as I may say, into two cities : there is the city of Zion, the
church of God, the holy and beloved city ; and there is Sodom,
that polluted and accursed city, which is appointed to destruc-
tion. You belong to the latter of these. How much soever
you may look upon yourselves as better than some others, you
are of the same city ; the same company with fornicators, and
drunkards, and adulterers, and common swearers, and highway-
men, and pirates, and Sodomites. How much soever you may
think yourselves distinguished, as long as you are out of Christ
you belong to the very same society ; you are of the company,
you join with them, and are no better than they, any otherwise
than as you have greater restraints. You are considered in the
sight of God as fit to be ranked with them. You and they are
altogether the objects of loathing and abhorrence, and have the
wrath of God abiding on you : you will go with them and be
destroyed with them, if you do not escape from your present
state. Yea, you are of the same society and the same company
with the devils, for Sodom is not only the city of wicked men,
but it is the hold of every foul spirit.
You belong to that city which is appointed to an awful,
inevitable, universal, swift, and sudden destruction ; a city that
hath a storm of fire and wrath hanging over it. Many of you
are convinced of the awful state you are in while in Sodom, and
are making some attempts to escape from the wrath which hangs
52 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
over it. Let such be warned by what hath been said, to escape
for their lives, and not to look back. Look not back, unless you
choose to have a share in the burning tempest that is coming
down on that city. Look not back in remembrance of the en-
joyments which you have had in Sodom, as hankering after the
pleasant things which you have had there, after the ease, the
security, and the pleasure which you have there enjoyed.
Remember Lot's wife, for she looked back, as being loth
utterly and for ever to leave the ease, the pleasure and plenty
which she enjoyed in Sodom, and as having a mind to return to
them again : remember what became of her. — Remember the
children of Israel in the wilderness, who were desirous of going
back again into Egypt. Numb. xi. 5. " We remember the
flesh which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, and the
melons, and the leeks and onions, and the garlick." Remember
what was the issue. You must be willing for ever to leave all
the ease, and pleasure, and profit of sin, to forsake all for salva-
tion, as Lot forsook all, and left all he had, to escape out of
Sodom.
{SERMON V.
THE FOLLY OF LOOKING BACK IN FLEEING OUT OF
SODOM.
Luke xvii. 32.
Remember LoVs Wife.
The doctrine from these words was, That we ought 7iot to
look back when we are fleeing out of Sodom. — Having confirmed
this doctrine by several reasons, we came to the application of
it in Q use of warning to sinners in a natural state, and espe-
cially to those who are awakened and convinced of the awful
state in which they are, and are desirous of escaping the wrath
which is to come. And further to enforce this warning, let me
entreat all you who are in this state, to consider the several
things which 1 shall now mention :
1. The destruction of which you are in danger is infinitely
more dreadful than that destruction of the literal Sodom from
which Lot fled. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in
a storm of fire and brimstone, was but a shadow of the destruc-
tion of ungodly men in hell, and is no more to it than a shadow
or a picture is to a reality, or than painted fire is to real fire. —
The misery of hell is set forth by various shadows and images
in scripture, as blackness of darkness, a never-dying worm, a
furnace of fire, a lake of fire and brimstone, the torments of the
valley of the son of Hinnom, a storm of fire and brimstone. —
The reason why so many similitudes are used, is because none
of them are sufficient. Any one does but partly and very im-
perfectly represent the truth, and therefore God makes use
of many.
You have therefore much more need to make haste in your
escape, and not to look behind you, than Lot and his wife had
when they fled out of Sodom ; for you are every day and every
moment in danger of a thousand times more dreadful storm
coming on your heads, than that which came on Sodom, when
the Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven
upon them ; so that it will be vastly more sottish in you to look
back than it was in Lot's wife.
54 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
2. The destruction of which you are in danger is not only
greater than the temporal destruction of Sodom, but greater
than the eternal destruction of the inhabitants of Sodom. For
however well you may think you have behaved yourselves, you
who have continued impenitent under the glorious gospel, have
sinned more, and provoked God far more, and have greater guilt
upon you, than the inhabitants of Sodom ; although you may
seem to yourselves, and perhaps to others, to be very harmless
creatures; Matt. x. 15., "Verily I say unto you, it shall be
more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment,
than for that city."
3. Multitudes, while they have been looking back, have
been suddenly overtaken and seized by the storm of wrath.
The wrath of God hath not delayed, while they have delayed;
it has not waited at all for them to turn about and tlee ; but has
presently seized them, and they have been past hope. When
Lot's wife looked back, she was immediately destroyed, God
had exercised patience towards her before. When she lingered
at the setting out, the angels pressed her, and her husband and
children, to make haste. Not only so, but when they yet
delayed, they brought her forth, and set her without the city, the
Lord being merciful to her. But now when, notwithstanding
this mercy, and the warnings which had been given her, she
looked back, God exercised no more patience towards her, but
proceeded immediately to put her to death.
Now God has in like manner been merciful to you. You
in time past have been lingering ; you have been warned by the
angel of your danger, and pressed to make haste and flee ; yet
you have delayed. And now at length God hath as it were laid
hold on you, by the convictions of his Spirit, to draw you out of
Sodom ; therefore remember Lofs wife. If now after all, you
should look back, when God hath been so merciful to you, you
will have reason to fear, that God will suddenly destroy you.
Multitudes, when they have been looking back, and putting oflf
to another time, have never had another opportunity; they have
been suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy.
4. If you look back, and live long after it, there will be
great danger that you will never get any further. The only way
to seek salvation is to press forward with all your might, and still
to look and press forward, never to stand still or slacken your
pace. When Lot's wife stopped in her flight, and stood still in
order that she might look, her punishment was, that there she
should stand for ever ; she never got any further; she never got
beyond that place : but there she stood as a pillar of salt, a
durable pillar and monumei.t of wrath, for her folly and wick-
edness.
So it is very often with backsliders, though they may live
a considerable time after. When they look back, after they
SER. V. Tke Folly of looking back, i^c. 55
have been taking pains for their salvation, they lose all, they put
themselves under vast disadvantages ; by quenching the Spirit
of God, and losing their convictions, they dreadfully harden their
own hearts, and stupify their souls. They make way for dis-
couragements, dreadfully strengthen and establish the interest
of sin in their hearts, many ways give Satan great advantages
to ruin them, and provoke God oftentimes utterly to leave them
to hardness of heart. When they come to look back, their
souls presently become dead and hard like the body of Lot's
wife. And though they live long after, they never get any fur-
ther ; it is worse for them than if they were immediately damned.
When persons, in fleeing out of Sodom, look back, their last case
is far worse than the first ; Matt. xii. 43, 44, 45. And expe-
rience confirms, that none ordinarily are so hard to be brought
to repentance as backsliders.
5. It may well stir you up to flee for your lives, and not
to look behind you, when you consider how many have lately
fled to the mountain, while you yet remain in Sodom. To what
multitudes hath God given the wisdom to flee to Christ, the
mountain of safety ! They have fled to the little city Zoar,
which God will spare, and never destroy. How many have
you seen of all sorts resorting out of Sodom thither, as believing
the word of God by the angels, that God would surely destroy
that place. They are in a safe condition ; they are got out of
the reach of the storm ; the fire and brimstone can do them no
hurt there.
But you yet remain in that cursed city among that accursed
company. You are yet in Sodom, which God is about so
terribly to destroy, where you are in danger every minute of.
having snares, fire and brimstone, come down on your head. —
Though so many have obtained, yet you have not obtained
deliverance. Good has come, but you have seen none of it.
Others are happy, but no man knows what will become of you :
you have no part nor lot in that glorious salvation of souls, which
has lately been among us. The consideration of this should
stir you up effectually to escape, and, in your escape, to press
forward — still to press forward — ^and to resolve to press forward
for ever, let what will be in the way, to hearken to no tempta-
tion, and never to look back, or in any wise slacken or abate
your endeavours as long as you live, but if possible to increase
in them more and more.
6. Backsliding after such a time as this,* will have a vastly
greater tendency to seal a man's damnation than at another
time. The greater means men have, the louder calls, and the
greater advantages they are under, the more dangerous is back-
*The time of the revival of religion at Northampton, A. D. 1735.
56 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
sliding, the more it has a tendency to enhance guilt, to provoke
God, and to harden the heart.
We, in this land of light, have long enjoyed greater advan-
tages than most of the world. But the advantages which
persons are under now for their salvation, are perhaps tenfold
what they have been at such times as we have ordinarily lived
in; and backsliding will be proportionably the greater sin, and
the more dangerous to the soul. You have seen God's glory
and his wonders amongst us, in a most marvellous manner. If,
therefore, you look back after this, there will be great danger
that God will swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter into
his rest ; as God sware concerning them that were for going
back into Egypt, after they had seen the wonders which God
wrought for Israel. Numb. xiv. 22, 23. " Because all those
men that have seen my glory and my miracles, that I did in
Egypt, and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these
ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice ; surely they shall
not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall
any of them that provoked me see it." The wonders that we
have seen among us of late, have been of a more glorious na-
ture than those that the children of Israel saw in Egypt, and in
the wilderness.
We know not but that great part of the wicked world are,
at this day, in Sodom's circumstances, when Lot fled out of it;
having some outward, temporal destruction hanging over it. It
looks as if some great thing were coming; the state of things
in the world seems to be ripe for some great revolution. The
world has got to such a terrible degree of wickedness, that it is
probable the cry of it has reached up to heaven ; and it is hardly
probable that God will suffer things to go on, as they now do,
much longer. It is likely that God will, ere long, appear in
awful majesty to vindicate his own cause ; and then none will
be safe that are out of Christ. Now, therefore, every one should
flee for his life, and escape to the mountain, lest he be consumed.
We cannot certainly tell what God is about to do, but this we
may know, that those who are out of Christ, are in a most un-
safe state.
8. To enforce this warning against looking back, let me
beseech you to consider the exceeding proneness to it there is
in the heart. The heart of man is a backsliding heart. There
is in the heart a great love and hankering desire after the ease,
pleasure, and enjoyments of Sodom, as there was in Lot's wife,
by which persons are continually liable to temptations to look
back. The heart is so much towards Sodom, that it is a diffi-
cult thing to keep the eye from turning that way, and the feet
from tending thither. When men under convictions are put
upon fleeing, it is a mere force, it is because God lays hold on
SER. V. The Folly of looking hack, ^c. 57
their hands, as he did on Lot's and his wife's, and drags them so
far. But the tendency of the heart is to go back to Sodom.
Persons are very prone to backsHding also through dis-
couragement. The heart is unsteady, soon tired, and apt to
listen to discouraging temptations. A httle difficulty and delay
soon overcome its feeble resolutions. And discouragement
tends to backsliding : it weakens persons' hands, lies as a dead
weight on their hearts, and makes them drag heavily ; and if it
continue long, it very often issues in security and senselessness.
Convictions are often shaken off that way: they begin first to go
off with discouragement.
Backsliding is a disease that is exceeding secret in its way
of working. It is a flattering distemper; it works like a con-
sumption, wherein persons often flatter themselves that they are
not worse, but something better, and in a hopeful way to re-
cover, till a few days before they die. So backsliding com-
monly comes on gradually, and steals on men insensibly, and
they still flatter themselves that they are not backslidden. They
plead that they are seeking yet, and they hope they have not
lost their convictions. And by the time they find it out, and
cannot pretend so any longer, they are commonly so far gone,
that they care not much if they have lost their convictions.
And when it is come to that, it is commonly a gone case as to
those convictions. Thus they blind themselves, and keep
themselves insensible of their own disease, and so are not
terrified with it, nor awakened to use means for relief? till it is
past cure.
Thus it is that backsliding commonly comes upon persons
that have for some time been under any considerable convic-
tions, and afterwards lose them. Let the consideration of this
your danger excite you to the greatest care and diligence to
keep your hearts, and to watchfulness and constant prayer
against backsliding. And let it put you upon endeavours to
strengthen your resolutions of guarding against every thing that
tesds to the contrary, that you may indeed hold out to the end:
for then shall you knozo, if yoxi follow on to know the Lord.
Vol. Vi.
SERMON VI.*
THE WARNINGS OF SCRIPTURE ARE IN THE BEST MAN-
NER ADAPTED TO THE AWAKENING AND
CONVERSION OF SINNERS.
Luke xvi. 31.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they he persuaded, though one rose from the
dead.
We here have an account how the rich man in hell — after
he had in vain begged of Abraham to send Lazarus to his rehef
— prays that Lazarus may be sent to his brethren to warn them,
that they might take care for their salvation, and escape that
place of torment. By the way, it may be proper to remark,
that we cannot from this conclude, that the damned will have
any workings of natural affection to their near relations in this
world, or any concern for their salvation. The design of Christ
was only parabolically to represent what different thoughts
worldly and wicked men will have of things, when in hell, from
what they have while upon earth. The rich man, when he was
upon earth, only minded his honour, ease, and pleasure, and did
not think it worth while to take care of his soul, and to be at
much pains to escape hell. But now he is of another mind,
and is sensible that if his five brethren, who live in the same
careless neglect of their souls as he did, knew what hell is, they
would take more care.
But this seems to be put into the parable chiefly to intro-
duce what follows, the reply which Abraham made to him. They
have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. As much as to
say, They have already abundant warning, and instruction,
which God himself hath provided for them, let them make use
of that.
The rich man replies. Nay, Father Abraham, but if one
went unto them from the dead, they will repent. Then come in
the words of the text, And he said unto him. If they hear not
* Notdated.
>ER. VI. Scripture Writings best adapted, ^c. od
Moses and the prophets, neither zoill they be persuaded, though
one rose from the dead. By Moses and the prophets is meant
the whole Old Testament, which was the whole canon of scrip-
ture which they had in those times. The hearing of them
implies, attending to what they say, believing them, and obeying
them. They would not be persuaded, that is, they would not be
persuaded to take thorough care of their souls, to forsake their
sins and turn to God, so as to avoid this place of torments. —
Though one rose from the dead ; though one should go from the
invisible world, either from heaven, where they see the torments
of the damned, or from hell, where they feel them.
DOCTRINE.
The warnings of God's word are more fitted to obtain the
<3nds of awakening sinners, and bringing them to repentance,
than the rising of one from the dead to warn them.
In this passage, Moses and the prophets seem not only to
be equalized to the warnings of one from the invisible world, but
to be preferred before them. They have Moses and the
prophets, let them hear them : they have already those means
which God in his infinite wisdom hath seen to be fittest for
them, and more suitable to their nature and circumstances than
the rising of one from the dead. — But whether there can be any
more than an equality necessarily inferred or not ; yet if only
the warnings of the Old Testament have an equal tendency to
bring men to repentance, as the rising of one from the dead ;
then surely these, together with the much clearer revelation
under the gospel-dispensation by Christ and his apostles —
wherein we are abundantly more plainly told of another world,
and wherein life and immortality are brought to light — must
have a much greater tendency and fitness to obtain these ends.
Sinners are apt to find fault with the means of grace which
they enjoy, and to say with themselves, if I had ever seen hell, or
had ever heard the cries of the damned, or had ever seen a
person who had felt hell-torments, or had seen them at a dis-
tance, that would awaken me; then I would forsake all my sins,
and would do whatever I could to escape hell. But now I am
only told of hell in the Bible and by ministers ; and there never
was any in this world that saw or felt it : so that I am ready to
think that it is mere delusion and fancy. How do I know that
there is any hell ? How do I know but that when I die, there
will be an end of me?
But it is the indisposition of sinners to this great work, to
which they are directed, which makes them find fault with their
means and advantages. The slothful and negligent, who hate
to bestir themselves, are they who object. " The way of the
60 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECT^.
slothful is as a hedge of thorns." — Sinners know not what they
would have. They are fixedly averse to breaking off their sins
by righteousness ; and to make the matter the more excusable,
they object against the sufficiency of their means, and so they
will not believe, except they see hell, or see some person who
has seen it.
But God, who knows our nature and circumstances, knows
what is most adapted to them. He who made the faculties of
our souls, knows what will have the greatest tendency to move
them, and to work upon them. He who is striving with us,
to bring us to repentance and salvation, uses the fittest and best
means. In contriving and appointing the means of our salva-
tion, he chooses better for us than we should for ourselves.
Suppose a person should rise from the dead to warn sin-
ners, either from heaven, where they see the misery of the
damned, or from hell, where they feel it ; and should tell how
dismal those torments are, having seen or felt them ; and sup-
pose he should confirm what he said, by declaring that he had
seen the smoke of their torments, the raging of the flames, the
dreadful crew of devils and damned souls together, and had
heard their dismal cries and shrieks ; or suppose he should say
that he had felt them, and should express by words and actions
the doleful state of the damned and the extremity of their tor-
ments; this would probably greatly fright and terrify many
sinners who were not terrified by reading the Bible, nor by
hearing preaching about hell-torments. But it would be very
much because of the unusualness and strangeness of the thing.
Men are apt to be much affected with strange things, and to be
much aflfrighted by spectres in the dark, because they are unusual.
But if they were as common as preaching is, they would lose
their effect.
It might be that on such an unusual occasion, as the rising
of one from the dead, for a while men would reform their lives,
and possibly some might be so affected as never to forget it. —
But we are to consider which would have the greatest tendency
to awaken us, if both were alike new and unusual, to be warned
of the misery of hell by the great God himself, declaring as it
were from heaven how dreadful hell is, and abundantly warning
us about it ; or to be warned only by a man coming from the
invisible world, who had either seen or felt these miseries. It
is in this view that we shall consider the matter ; and we shall
shew what advantages the former mode of warning has above
the latter : or how the warnings of God's word have a greater
tendency to awaken sinners and bring them to repentance, than
the rising of one from the dead to warn them.
1. God, in many respects, knows better what belongs to
the punishment of sinners than departed souls. Departed souls
doubtless know what hell torments are, much better than any on
SER. VI. Scripture Warnings best adapted, ire. 61
earth. The souls of the wicked feel them, and the souls of the
saints see them afar off. God glorifies his justice in the punish-
ment of ungodly men, in the view of the saints and angels, and
thereby makes them the more admire the riches of his goodness
in choosing them to life. As the rich man saw Lazarus in
heaven afar off, so Lazarus saw the rich man in hell ; he
saw hell-torments ; and therefore the rich man desires he may
be sent to warn his brethren. And if one should rise from the
dead to warn wicked men, if it would at all awaken them, it
would be because he knew what hell-torments were by his own
knowledge, and could describe them to others, as having seen
and felt him.
But surely the all-seeing God knows as well as any of the
dead, what the present sufferings of the damned are. He is
every where present with his all-seeing eye. He is in heaven
and in hell, and in and through every part of the creation. He
is where every devil is ; and where every damned soul is, he is
present by his knowledge and his essence. He not only knows as
well as those in heaven, who see at a distance ; but he knows as
perfectly as those who feel the misery. He seeth into the
innermost recesses of those miserable spirits. He seeth all the
sorrow and anguish that are there ; for he upholds them in
being. They and all the powers of their spirits, whereby they
are capable of either happiness or misery, are in his hands.
Besides, it is his wrath they endure ; he measures out to
them their several portions of punishment ; he makes his wrath
enter into them ; he is a consuming fire to them ; his anger is
that fire, in which they are tormented. He therefore is doubt-
less able to give us as clear and distinct, and as true an account
of hell, as the damned themselves, if they should rise from the
dead. He needs not any to inform him.
He knows far better what the eternity of those torments is
than any of them. He can better tell us how awful a thing
eternity is. He knows better what the future judgment of sin-
ners will be, when the Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire
to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not
the gospel. He knows far better than they how much the tor-
ment of the wicked will then be increased.
2. We have the truth upon surer grounds from God's
testimony, than we could have it from the testimony of one
rising from the dead. Suppose one should rise from the dead
and tell us of the dreadfulness of hell torments ; how precarious
a foundation would that be to build upon, in a matter of such
importance, unless we consider it as confirmed by divine testi-
mony. We should be uncertain whether there were not some
delusion in the case. We know that it is impossible for God to
lie ; and we may know that the matter is just as he declares it to
us. But if one should come from the dead, we could not be
62 TVVENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
SO sure that we were no way imposed upon. We could not be
so sure that he who testified was not himself subject to some
delusion. We could not be sure that the matter was not
strained too high, and represented greater than it really is.
One coming from the dead could not, merely by force of
his own testimony, make us sure that we should come to that
place of torments if we did not repent and reform. And if there
should come more witnesses than one from the dead, if there
should be ever so many, yet there is no authority equal to that
of God ; there is no testimony of spirits from the invisible world
which would be so indisputable and unquestionable as the divine
testimony. How could we know, unless by some divine reve-
lation, that they who should come from the dead had not come
to deceive us ? How could we know how wicked, or how good
they were, and upon what views they acted ?
Whereas we have the greatest ground to be assured, that
the First Being, and the fountain of all being and perfection, is
nothing but light and truth itself, and therefore that it is impos-
sible he should deceive or be deceived.
3. The warnings of God's word have greatly the advan-
tage, by reason of the greatness and majesty of him who speaks.
The speeches and declarations of those who are great, excel-
lent, and honourable, have a greater tendency to move the
affections, than the declarations of others who are less excellent.
Things spoken by a king affect more than the same things
spoken by a mean man.
But God is infinitely greater than kings ; he is universal
King of heaven and earth, the absolute Sovereign of all things.
Now, what can have a greater tendency to strike the mind and
move the heart, than to be warned by this great and glorious
Being? Shall we be unmoved when he speaks who made
heaven and earth by the word of his power ? If his immediate
speeches, declarations, and warnings, will not influence us, what
will ? Isaiah i. 2. "• Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth,
for the Lord hath spoken." — That is to the present purpose
which we have in Matt. xxi. 37. " But last of all, he sent
his Son, saying, They will reverence my Son." He sent his
servants before, but they did not regard them. He therefore
sent his Son, who was a much greater and more honourable
messenger, and said, Surely they will regard him.
What if God should send messengers from the dead to
warn us, even many in succession, and men should reject them ;
we should justly aigue, that it would have a much greater ten-
dency to make men regard and obey the counsel, if he would
send his Son or come himself. But God hath sent his Son,
and therein he hath come himself. He came down from
heaven and took upon him our nature, and dwelt among us,
teaching and warning us concerning hell and damnation.
SEE. VI. Scripture Warnings best adapted ^/-c. 63
In the Bible, we not only have those warnings which were
given by inspiration of the prophets, but we have God's own
words which he spake as it were by his own mouth. In the
Old Testament is his voice out of the midst of the fire and the
darkness, from Mount Sinai : and in the New Testament, we
have God speaking to us, as dwelhng among us- He came
down from heaven, and instructed us in a familiar manner for
a long while ; and we have his instructions recorded in our
Bibles. — Now, which has the greatest tendency to influence
men, to have one of the departed spirits sent back into its body
to warn them, or to have God himself assume a body and warn
them ?
4. It more evidently shows the importance of the affair,
that God should immediately concern himself in it, than the
coming of one from the dead would do. Those things about
which kings most immediately concern themselves are commonly
matters of the greatest importance, while they leave less con-
cernments to be managed by their officers. And surely that must
be a matter of very great moment, in which God shows himself
so much concerned as he does in our salvation. God, in all
ages of the world, hath showed himself very much concerned in
this matter. How abundantly hath he warned us in his holy
word ! How earnest hath he shown himself in it ! How many
arguments and expostulations hath he used, that we might avoid
the way to hell ? — This evidently argues, that what we are
warned about is a matter of the utmost concern, and proves it
much more than if we were only warned by one risen from the
dead.
5. God warning us of our danger of damnation, hatha greater
tendency to have influence upon us, because he is our Judge.
Damnation is a punishment to which he condemns and which
he inflicts. What he warns us of is his own wrath and ven-
geance. In his word we have his threatenings against sin
denounced by himself. He tells us, that if we go on in sin,
he will destroy us, and cast us out of his sight, and pour out his
wrath upon us, and hold us eternally under misery. He tells us
so himself; and this hath a much greater tendency to influence
us, than to be told so by another, who is not to be our judge,
who hath not in his hands the power of making us miserable. —
When a king immediately threatens his own displeasure, it has
a greater tendency to terrify men, than when another man
threatens it, or warns them of the danger.
6. God is infinitely wise, and knows better how to speak
to us so as to persuade us, than one risen from the dead. He
perfectly knows our nature and state, and knows how to adapt
his instructions and warnings to our frame and circumstances in
the world ; and without doubt that method which God hath chosen,
is agreeable to his infinite wisdom, and most adapted to our nature.
64 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
If one should come from hell to warn sinners, it may be
he would tell them of hell in such a manner as would have
more of a tendency to drive men into despair, and set them a
blaspheming as they do in hell, than to excite them to strive for
salvation, and diligently to use the means which God hath ap-
pointed. But God knoweth what revelation of hell we can
bear, and what hath the most tendency to do us good in this our
infirm, dark, and sinful state- The declarations of one come
from hell might more tend to drive us from God than to bring
us near to him. It is best for us to be warned and instructed
by God, who knows best how to do it.
These are some of the reasons why the warnings of God's
word have more of a tendency to bring us to repentance, than
the warning of one risen from the dead.
APPLICATION.
1. It is a natural inference from this doctrine, that if these
tYieans which God hath appointed do not answer to lead men to
repentance and reformation, no others would. Although this be
not an absolutely necessary consequence from the words of the
doctrine ; yet it seems to be Christ's aim to teach us, that if
God's means will not answer, none will. Our own means,
those which we can devise, however they may seem more likely
at a distance to be effectual, if brought to the trial, will not
prove to be better. The rich man thought that if his brethren
were warned by one rising from the dead, they would surely
repent. But Abraham tells him, he is mistaken.
If one rising from the dead would not answer the purpose,
we may rationally conclude that no other kind of means, dif-
ferent from those appointed by God, would. For what can we
think of, which seems to have more tendency to awaken men,
and lead to repentance, than one coming from the dead to them ;
except those means which we enjoy. Indeed men can think of
many means, which they may imagine, if they enjoyed them, would
make them believe and repent : But they deceive themselves.
It may be they think, if they could see some prophet, and
see him work miracles, that this would awaken them. But how
was it when there were prophets ? There has rarely been a
more degenerate time than that of Elijah and Elisha, who
wrought so many miracles. The people did not regard their
prophecies nor their miracles ; but walked in their own ways,
and served their own gods, so that Elijah thought there was
none left of the true worshippers of God. And how did they
treat the prophet Jeremiah, solemnly warning them from God
of their approaching destruction ? And how often do the pro-
phets complain that all their propliecies and warnings were
neglected and despised !
SER. VI. Scripture Warnings best adapted, S/c. ^b
Would it be sufficient if you could hear God speak from
heaven ? How was it in Moses' time, when they heard God
speak out of the midst of the fire, and heard the voice of words
exceeding loud and full of majesty, so that they exceedingly
trembled ; when they saw Mount Sinai all covered with smoke,
and shaking exceedingly ? How did they behave themselves ?
Did they all turn from their sins, and after that walk in the ways
of God? It is true, they were very much affected at first,
while it was a new and strange thing to them ; but how hard-
hearted and rebellious were they soon after ! They did not
scruple to rebel against this same great and glorious God. Yea,
they made a golden calf while Moses was in the mount convers-
ing with God, just after they had seen those dreadful appear-
ances of divine majesty.
Thus they rebelled against the Lord, although they had
seen so many miracles and wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea,
and in the wilderness ; although they continually saw the pillar
of cloud and of fire going before them, were continually fed in
a miraculous manner with manna, and in the same miraculous
manner made to drink water out of the rock.
Men are apt to think, that if they had lived in Christ's time,
and had seen and heard him, and had seen his miracles, that
they would have effectually convinced and turned them from
sin. But how was it in fact ? How ievf were there brought
to repentance by all his discourses and miracles ? How hard-
hearted were they ? Some were very much affected for a little
while ; but how few constant steady followers had he ! He was,
notwithstanding his miracles, rejected, despised, and even mur-
dered by the people among whom he dwelt. And they were
men of the sarme natures, as sinners in these days.
The scripture is full of instances, sufficient to convince us,
that if the word of God will not awaken and convert sinners,
nothing will. And we see enough in these days to convince us
of it. Men sometimes meet with those things by which we
should not imagine, if we did not see it, and were not used to it,
but that they would be thoroughly awakened and reformed. —
They sometimes hear the warnings of dying men expecting to
go to hell. One would think this would be enough to awaken
them ; and it may be they are affected with it for the present :
bul it only touches them ; it vanishes away, and is gone like a
puff of wind.
Sometimes sinners themselves are laid upon beds of sick-
ness, and their lives hang in doubt before them. They are
brought to the sides of the grave, and to the very mouth of hell,
and their hearts are full of terror and amazement. Yet if they
recover, they soon forget it, and return to the ways of follj and
wickedness. Sometimes this is repeated; they are taken sick
Vol. VI. 9
66 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
again, are again in extreme peril of death, their hearts are full
of amazement, and they make many promises and vows ; yet
being recovered, they again soon forget all, and return to sin
and folly. Such things are enough to convince us, that if the
word of God be not sufficient to convince men and make them
break off their sins, no external means would be sufficient.
Perhaps some may yet be ready to think, that if sinners
should see hell, and hear the cries of the damned, that would be
effectual, though nothing else would. But if we duly consider
the matter, we shall see reason to think, that it would not have
so great a tendency to turn men from sin, as the word of God.
Such a thing would doubtless be effectual to terrify and affright
men, and probably to death. Such a mean is not at all suitable
to our nature and state in the world. If it should not fright
men to death, it would not have so great a tendency to make
them diligently use means for their salvation as the warnings of
scripture. It would probably drive them to despair; or so take
away their spirits that they would have no heart to seek God. — -
Instead of driving them to God, it would probably make them
hate him the more. It would make them more like devils :
and set them a blaspheming as the damned do. For while the
hearts of men are filled with natural darkness, they cannot
see the glory of the divine justice appearing in such extreme
torments.
Therefore the means which God hath instituted for us, are
doubtless the best, and most conducive to lead men to repent-
ance and salvation. They are doubtless far better than any
other which we can devise.
2. flence w^e learn the dreadful hardness of men''s hearts,
since the word of God hath no more influence upon them, and
they are no more moved and^ wrought upon by those means
which infinite wisdom hath provided. The warnings of the
word of God are, as you have heard, better and more powerful
means than if one should rise from the dead to warn us, and tell
us our danger, and the dreadfulness of the wrath of God. You
have also heard, that if these means will not answer the end of
awakening and leading sinners to repentance, no other will ;
neither the working of miracles, nor the hearing of God speak
with an audible voice from heaven, nor any thing else. Yet,
how few are there who are effectually wrought upon by tlie
word of God ! They are very thinly sown ; there is but here
and there one.
When we read how the children of Israel conducted them-
selves in the wilderness, how often they murmured and offended ;
we are ready to wonder at the hardness of their hearts. And
when we read the history of Christ, and how the Jews hated
and rejected him, notwithstanding his many miracles : we are
SER. VI. Scrijikire Warnings best adapted, i-c. 67
ready to wonder how lliey could be so hard-hearted. But we
have as much reason to wonder at ourselves, for we have natu-
rally the same sort of hearts that they had ; and sinners in these
days manifest a hardness of heart as much to be wondered at,
in that they are not influenced by the word of God 5 for they
who will not hear Moses and the prophets, Jesus Christ and his
apostles, neither would be persuaded, if one should rise from the
dead, or if an angel should come from heaven.
The best means of awakening and conversion, are plenti-
fully enjoyed by us, much more plentifully in several respects,
than they were by those who had only Moses and the prophets.
In the first place, we have divine truth more fully revealed in the
Bible than they had then. Light now shines abundantly clear.
Gospel truth is revealed, not in types and shadows, but plainly.
Heaven and hell are much more clearly and expressly made
known. We are told, that the glory of that revelation was no
glory in comparison with the revelation of the gospel.
Again, we have a greater plenty of Bibles than they had
under the dispensation of Moses and the prophets. Then there
was no such thing as printing, and Bibles were scarce things. —
They seldom had any Bibles, any where else but in their syna-
gogues. But now we have them in our houses ; we can look
into them when we please. Besides, Christ hath appointed the
gospel-ministry, by which we have the word of God explained
and enforced every week. Yet how little influence hath the
word of God to bring men to repentance !
Let this strike conviction into those who never yet have
found any such effect by the word of God. Though you are
convinced of nothing else, yet you have abundant reason to be
convinced, that your hearts are as hard as a stone, and that you
are exceedingly stupid and sottish.
3. Hence we may learn how justly and fairly God deals with
us. He gives us the best means of awakening and reclaiming
us from our sins ; better than if he had sent one from the dead
to warn us. He gives us those means which are most suited to
our nature and circumstances. He gives sinners abundant
warning before he punishes them. What could he have done
more than he hath done ? We can devise or imagine no sort
of warning which would have been better than what God hath
given us. How justly, therefore, are ungodly men punished ;
how inexcusable will they be !
4. Let all make use of the means which God hath insti-
tuted. They are the best and only means by which we may
expect to obtain salvation. We shall be most inexcusable,
therefore, if we neglect them. Let us attend to the word of
God, read and hear it carefully, consider it thoroughly, and daily
walk by it. Let us be diligent in this work. The word of God
BS TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
is a great price put into our hands to get wisdom and eternal
salvation ; let us, therefore, improve it while we have it, as we
know not how soon we may be deprived of it ; lest Christ say
to us, as in Luke xix. 42 : " If thou hadst known, even thou, at
least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace '
but now thev are hid from thine eyes."
I
SERMON VII.*
HYPOCRITES DEFICIENT IN THE DUTY OF PRAYER.
Job XXVII. 10.
Will he always call upon God ?
Concerning these words, I would observe,
1 . Who it is that is here spoken of, viz. the hypocrite :
as you may see, if you take the two preceding verses with the
verse of the text. " For what is the hope of the hypocrite,
though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul ? Will
God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him ? Will he
delight himself in the Almighty ? Will he a!wa}^s call upon
God ?" Job's three friends, in their speeches to him, insisted
much upon it, that he was an hypocrite. But Job, in this
chapter, asserts his sincerity and integrity, and shows how
different his own behaviour had been from that of hypocrites.
Particularly he declares his steadfast and immoveable resolution
of persevering and holding out in the ways of religion and
righteousness to the end; as you may see in the six first verses.
In the text, he shows how contrary to this steadfastness and
perseverance the character of the hypocrite is, who is not wont
thus to hold out in religion.
2. We may observe what duty of religion it is, with respect
to which the hypocrite is deciphered in the text, and that is
the duty of 'prayer^ or calling upon God.
3. Here is something supposed of the hypocrite relating
to this duty, viz. That he may continue in it for a zohile ; he
may call upon God for a season.
4. Something asserted, viz. That it is not the manner
of hypocrites to continue always m this duty. Will he ahvays
call upon God? It is in the form of an interrogation, but the
words have the force of a strong assertion, that however the
* Dated, June 1740.
70 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
hypocrite may call upon God for a season, yet he will not
always continue in it.
DOCTRINE.
However hypocrites may continue for a season in the
duty of prayer, yet it is their manner, after a while, in a great
measure to leave it off.
In speaking upon this doctrine, I shall show,
I. How hypocrites often continue for a* season to call
upon God.
II. How it is their manner, after a while, in a great measure
to leave off the practice of this duty.
III. Give some reasons why this is the manner of hypocrites.
I. I would show how hypocrites often continue for a sea-
son in the duty of prayer.
1. They do so for a while after they have received common
illuminations and affections. While they are under awakenings,
they may through fear of hell call upon God, and attend very
constantly upon the duty of secret prayer. And after they
have had some melting affections, having their hearts much
moved with the goodness of God, or with some affecting
encouragements, and false joy and comfort; while these im-
pressions last, they continue to call upon God in the duty of
secret prayer.
2. After they have obtained a hope, and have made pro-
fession of their good estate, they often continue for a while in
the duty of secret prayer. For a while they are affected with
their hope: they think that God hath delivered them out of a
natural condition, a«id given them an interest in Christ, thus
introducing them into a state of safety from that eternal misery
which they lately feared. With this supposed kindness of
God to them, they are much affected, and often find in them-
selves for a while a kind of love to God, excited hy his supposed
love to them. Now, while this affection towards God con-
tinues, the duties of religion seem pleasant to them; it is even
with some delight that they approach to God in their closets ;
and for the present it may be, they think of no other than con-
tinuing to call upon God as long as they live.
Yea, they may continue in the duty of secret prayer for
a while after the liveliness of their affections is past, through the
influenrr -^f < heir former intentions. They intended to continue
seeking God always ; and now suddenly to leave off, would be
too shocking to their own minds. And the force of their own
preconceived notions, viz. That godly persons continue in reli-
gion, may have some effect. Therefore, thougti they have no
SER. Vii. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer. 71
love to the duty of prayer, and begin to grow weary of it, yet,
as they love their own hope, they are somewhat backward to
take a course, which will prove it to be a false hope, and so de-
prive them of it.
If they should all at once bear the sign of a false hope,
they would scare themselves. Their hope is dear to them, and
it would fright them to see any plain evidence that it is not true.
Hence, for a considerable time after the force of their illumina-
tions and affections is over, and after they hate the duty of
prayer — and would be glad to have done with it, if they could
without showing themselves to be hypocrites — they hold up a
kind of attendance upon the duty of secret prayer. This may
keep up the outside of religion in them for a good while, and
occasion it to be somewhat slowly that they are brought to ne-
glect it. They must not leave off suddenly, because that would
be too great a shock to their false peace. But they must come
gradually to it, as they find their consciences can bear it, and
as they can find out devices and salvos to cover the matter,
and make their so doing consistent in their own opinion, with
the truth of their hope. — But,
11. It is the manner of hypocrites, after a while, in a great
measure, to leave off the practice of this duty. We are often
taught, that the seeming goodness and piety of hypocrites is not
of a lasting and persevering nature. It is so with respect to
their practice of the duty of prayer in particular, and especially
of secret prayer. They can omit this duty, and their omission
of it not be taken notice of by others, who know what profession
they have made. So that a regard to their own reputation doth
not oblige them still to practise it. If others saw how they ne-
glect it, it would exceedingly shock their charity towards them.
But their neglect doth not fall under their observation ; at least
not under the observation of many. Therefore they may omit
this duty, and still have the credit of being converted persons.
Men of this character can come to a neglect of secret
prayer, by degrees, without shocking their peace. For though
indeed, for a converted person to live in a great measure without
secret prayer, is very wide of the notion they once had of a true
convert, yet they find means by degrees to alter their notions,
and to bring their principles to suit with their inclinations ; and
at length they come to a notion, that a man may be a convert,
and yet live very much in neglect of this duty. In time, they
can bring all things to suit well together ; as a hope of heaven,
an indulgence of sloth, gratifying carnal appetites, and living in
a great measure a prayerless life. They cannot, indeed, suddenly
make these things agree ; it must be a work of time ; and length
of time will effect it. By degrees they find out ways to guard
and defend their consciences against those powerful enemies :
T2 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
SO that those enemies, and a quiet, secure conscience, can at
length dwell together.
Whereas it is asserted in the doctrine, that it is the man-
ner of hypocrites, after a while, in a great measure, to leave off
this duty ; I would observe to you,
1. That it is not intended, but that they may commonly
continue to the end of life in an external attendance on prayer
with others. They may commonly be present at public prayers
in the congregation, and also at family prayer. This, in such
places of light as this is, men commonly do before they are so
much as awakened. Many vicious persons, who make no pre-
tence to serious religion, commonly attend public prayers in the
congregation, and also more private prayers in the families in
which they live, unless it be when carnal designs interfere, or
when their youthful pleasures and diversions, and their vain
company call them ; and then they make no conscience of at-
tending family prayer. Otherwise they may continue to attend
upon prayer as loi^g s^ they live, and yet may truly be said not
to call upon God. For such prayer, in the manner of it, is not
their own. They are present only for the sake of their credit,
or in compliance with others. They may be present at these
prayers, and yet have no proper prayer of their own. Many
of those, concerning whom it may be said, as in Job xv. 4, that
they cast off fear and restrain prayer before God, are yet fre-
quently present at family and public prayers.
2. But they, in a great measure, leave off the practice of
secret prayer. They come to this pass by degrees. At first they .
begin to be careless about it. under some particular temptations.
Because they have been out in young company, or have been
taken up very much with worldly business, they omit it once :
after that they more easily omit it again. Thus it presently be-
comes a frequent thing with them to omit it ; and, after a while,
it comes to that pass, that they seldom attend it. Perhaps they
attend it on Sabbath days, and sometimes on other days. But
they have ceased to make it a constant practice daily to retire
to worship God alone, and to seek his face in secret places.
They sometimes do a little to quiet conscience, and just to keep
alive their old hope ; because it would be shocking to them,
even after all their subtile dealing with their consciences, to call
themselves converts, and yet totally to live without prayer.
Yet the practice of secret prayer they have in a great measure
left off. — I come now,
111. To the reasons why this is the manner of hypocrites.
1. Hypocrites never had the spirit of prayer. They may
have been stirred up to the external performance of this duty,
and that with a great deal of earnestness and affection, and yet
always have been destitute of the true spirit of prayer. The
•3ER. VII. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer. 73
spirit of prayer is a holy spirit, a gracious spirit. We read of
the spirit of grace and snppHcation ; Zech. xii. 10- " 1 will
pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusa-
lem, the spirit of grace and of supphcations." Wherever there
is a true spirit of supplication, there is the spirit of grace. The
true spirit of prayer is no other than God's own Spirit dwelling
in the hearts of the saints. And as this spirit comes from God,
so doth it naturally tend to God in holy breathings and pantings.
It naturally leads to God to converse with him by prayer. —
Therefore the spirit is said to make intercession for the saints
with groanings which cannot be uttered ; Rom. viii. 26.
The Spirit of God makes intercession for them, as it is that
Spirit which in some respect indites their prayers, and leads
them to pour out their souls before God. Therefore the saints
are said to worship God in the Spirit; Phil. iii. 3. "We are
the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit;" and John
iv. 23. "• The true vA'orshippers worship the Father in spirit
and in truth." The truly godly have the spirit of adoption, the
spirit of a child, to which it is natural to go to God, and call
upon him, crying to him as to a father.
Bat hypocrites have nothing of this spirit of adoption : —
They have not the spirit of children ; for this is a gracious and
holy spirit, given only in a real work of regeneration. There-
fore, it is often mentioned as a part of the distinguishing charac-
ter of the godly, that they call upon God. Psalm cxiv. 18, 19.
" The Lord is nigh to them that call upon him, to all that call
upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear
him ; he will, also, hear their cry, and will save them." Joel
ii. 32. " It shall come to pass, that whosoever calleth on the
name of the Lord, shall be saved."
It is natural to one who is truly born from above, to pray
to God, and to pour out his soul in holy supplications before his
heavenly Father. This is as natural to the new nature and life,
as breathing is to the nature and life of the body. But hypo-
crites have not this new nature. Those illuminations and affec-
tions which they had, went away, and left no change of nature.
Therefore, prayer naturally dies away in them, having no foun-
dation laid in the nature of the soul. It is maintained a while
only by a certain force put upon nature. But force is not con-
stant ; and as that declines, nature will take place again.
The spirit of a true convert, is a spirit of true love to God,
and that naturally inclines the soul to those duties wherein it is
conversant with God, and makes it to delight in approaching
him. But an hypocrite hath no such spirit. He is left under
the reigning power of enmity against God, which naturally in-
clines him to shun his presence.
The spirit of a true convert is a spirit of faith and reliance
on the power, Avisdom, and mercy of God, and such a spirit is
Vol. VI. 10
74 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOOS SUBJECTS.
naturally expressed in prayer. True prayer is nothing else but
faith expressed. Hence we read of the prayer of faith ; James
V. 15. True Christian prayer is ihe faith and reliance of the
soul breathed forth in words. But an hypocrite is without the
spirit of faith. He hath no true reliance or dependence on God,
but is really self-dependent.
As to those common convictions and affections which the
hypocrite had, and which made him keep up the duty of prayer
for a while, they not reaching the bottom of the heart, nor being
accompanied with any change of nature, a little thing extin-
guishes them. The cares of the world commonly choke and
suffocate them, and often the pleasures and vanities of youth
totally put an end to them, and with them ends their constant
practice of the duty of prayer.
2. When an hypocrite hath had his false conversion, his
wants are in his sense of things already supplied, his desires arc
already answered ; and so he finds no further business at the
throne of grace. He never was sensible that he had any other
needs, hut a need of being safe from hell. And now that he is
converted, as he thinks, that need is supplied. Why then should
he still go on to resort to the throne of grace with earnest re-
quests ? He is out of danger ; all that he was afraid of, is re-
moved : he hath got enough to carry him to heaven, and what
more should he desire ? — While under awakenings, he had this
to stir him up to go to God in prayer, that he was in continual
fear of hell. This put him upon crying to God for mercy. But
since in his own opinion he is converted, he hath no further
business about which to go to God. And although he may keep
up the duty of prayer in the outward form a little while, for fear
of spoiling his hope, yet he will find it a dull business to con-
tinue it without necessit}', and so by degrees he will let drop the
practice. The work of the hypocrite is done when he is con-
verted, and therefore he standeth in no further need of help.
But it is far otherwise with the true convert. His work is
not done ; but he finds still a great work to do, and great wants
to be supplied. He sees himself still to be a poor, empty,
helpless creature, and that he still stands in great and continual
need of God's help. He is sensible that without God he can
do nothing. A false conversion makes a man in his own eyes
self-sufficient. He saith he is rich, and increased with good, and
hath need of nothing ; and knoweth not that he is wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. But after a true
conversion, the soul remains sensible of its own impotence and
emptiness, as it is in itself, and its sense of it is rather increased
than diminished. It is still sensible of its universal dependence
on God for every thing. A true convert is sensible that his
grace is very imperfect ; and he is very far from having all that
SER. Vii. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer. 75
he desires. Instead of that, by conversion are begotten in him
new desires which he never had before. He now finds in him
holy appetites, an hungering and thirsting after righteousness, a
longing after more acquaintance and communion with God. —
So that he hath business enough still at the throne of grace ;
yea, his business there, instead of being diminished, is rather in-
creased.
3. The hope which the hypocrite hath of his good estate
takes off the force that the command of God before had upon
his conscience ; so that now he dares neglect so plain a duty. —
The command which requires the practice of the duty of prayer
is exceeding plain ; Matt. xxvi. 41. " Watch and pray, that
ye enter not into temptation." Eph. vi. 1 8. " Praying always
with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints."'
Matt. vi. 6. " When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and
when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret." As long as the hypocrite was in his own appre-
hension in continual danger of hell, he durst not disobey these
commands. But since he is, as he thinks, safe from hell, he is
grown bold, he dares to live in the neglect of the plainest com-
mand in the Bible.
4. It is the manner of hypocrites, after awhile, to return
to sinful practices, which will tend to keep them from praying.
While they were under convictions, they reformed their lives,
and walked very exactly. This reformation continues, after
their supposed conversion, while they are much affected with
hope and false comfort. But as these things die away, their old
lusts revive, and by degrees they return like the dog to his vomit,
and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. —
They return to their sensual, worldly, proud, and contentious
practices, as before. And no wonder this makes them forsake
their closets. Sinning and praying agree not well together. If
a man be constant in the duty of secret prayer, it will tend to
restrain him from wilful sinning. So, on the other hand, if he
allow himself in sinful practices, it will restrain him from pray-
ing. It will give quite another turn to his mind, so that he will
have no disposition to the practice of such a duty : it will be
contrary to him. A man who knows that he lives in sin against
God, will not be inclined to come daily into the presence of
God ; but will rather be inclined to fly from his presence,
as Adam, when he had eaten of the forbidden fruit, ran away
from God, and hid himself among the trees of the garden.
To keep up the duty of prayer after he hath given loose
to his lusts, would tend very much to disquiet a man's conscience.
It would give advantage to his conscience to testify aloud against
him. If he should come from his wickedness into the presence
of God, immediately to speak to him. his conscience would, as
76 rWEXTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
it were, fly in his face. Therefore hypocrites, as they by degrees
admit their wicked practices, exclude prayer.
5. Hypocrites never counted the cost of perseverance in
seeking God, and of following him to the end of life. To con-
tinue instant in prayer with all perseverance to the end of life,
requires much care, watchfulness, and labour. For much op-
position is made to it by the flesh, the world, and the devil ;
and Christians meet with many temptations to forsake this
practice. He that would persevere in this duty must be labo-
rious in religion in general. But hypocrites never count the
cost of such laboXir ; i. e. they never were prepared in the dis-
position of their minds to give their lives to the service of God
and to the duties of religion. It is therefore no great wonder
they are weary, and give up, after they have continued for
a while, as their affections are gone, and they find that prayer
to them grows irksome and tedious.
6. Hypocrites have no interest in those gracious promises
which God hath made to his people, of those spiritual supplies
which are needful in order to uphold them in the way of their
duty to the end. God hath promised to true saints that they
shall not forsake him ; Jer. xxxii. 40. " I will put my fear into
their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." He hath
promised that he will keep them in the way of their duty ;
1 Thess. V. 23, 24. " And the God of peace sanctify you
wholly. And 1 pray God, your spirit, soul, and body, be pre-
served blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." — But hypo-
crites have no interest in these and such like promises ; and
therefore are liable to fall away. If God do not uphold men,
there is no dependence on their steadfastness. If the Spirit of
God depart from them, they will soon become careless and
profane, and there will be an end to their seeming devotion
and piety.
The application may be in an use of exhortation, in two
branches.
I. 1 would exhort those who have entertained a hope of
their being true converts — and who since their supposed con-
version have left off the duty of secret prayer, and ordinarily
allow themselves in the omission of it — to throw away their
hope. If you have left off calling upon God, it is time for you
to leave off hoping and flattering yourselves with an imagination
that you are the children of God. Probably it will be a very
difiicult thing for you to do this. It is hard for a man to let go
a hope of heaven, on which he hath once allowed himself to
lay hold, and which he hath retained for a considerable time.
True conversion is a rare thing ; but that men should be
SER. VII. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer, 77
brought off from a false hope of conversion, after they are once
settled and established in it, and have continued in it for some
time, is much more rare.
Those things in men which, if known, would be sufficient
to convince others that they are hypocrites, will not convince
themselves ; and those things which would be sufficient to con-
vince them concerning others, will not be sufficient to convince
them concerning themselves. They can make larger allowances
for themselves than they can for others. They can find out
ways to solve objections against their own hope, when they can
find none in the like case for their neighbour.
But if your case be such as is spoken of in the doctrine,
it is surely time for you to seek a better hope, and another work
of God's spirit, than ever you have yet experienced ; something
more thorough and effectual. When you find by experience,
that the seed which was sown in your hearts, though at first it
sprang up and seemed flourishing, is withering away, as by the
heat of the sun, or is choked, as with thorns ; this shows in what
sort of ground the seed was sown, that it is either stony or thorny
ground ; and that, therefore, it is necessary you should pass
through another change, whereby your heart may become good
ground, which shall bring forth fruit with patience.
Insist not on that as a reason why you should not throw
away your hope, that you had the judgment of others, that the
change, of which you were the subject was right. It is a small
matter to be judged of man's judgment, whether you be approved
or condemned, and whether it be by minister or people, wise or
unwise. 1 Cor. iv. 3. " It is a very small thing that I should
be judged of you, or of man's judgment." If your goodness
have proved to be as the morning cloud and early dew ; if you
be one of those who have forsaken God, and left oti calling upon
his name, you have the judgment, and sentence of God in the
scriptures against you, which is a thousand times more than to
have the judgment of all the wise and godly men and ministers
in the world in your favour.
Others, from your account of thmgs, may have been
obliged to have charity for you, and to think that — provided you
were not mistaken, and in your account did not misrepresent
things, or express them hy wrong terms — you were really con-
verted. But what a miserable foundation is this, upon which
to build a hope as to your eternal state !
Here I request your attention to a few things in particular,
which I have to say to you concerning your hope.
1. Why will you retain that hope, which, by evident expe-
rience, you find poisons you ? Is it reasonable to think, that
a holy hope, a hope that is from heaven, would have such an
influence ? No, surely ; nothing of such a malignant influence
78 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
comes from that world of purity and glory. No poison groweth
in the paradise of God. The same hope which leads men to
sin in this world, will lead to hell hereafter. Why, therefore,
will you retain such a hope, of which your own experience
shews you the ill tendency, in that it encourages you to lead a
wicked life ? For, certainly, that life is a wicked life wherein you
live in the neglect of so well-known a duty as that of secret
prayer, and in the disobedience of so plain a command of God,
as that by which this duty is enjoined. And is not a way of dis-
obedience to God a way to hell ?
If your own experience of the nature and tendency of
your hope will not convince you of the falseness of it, what will ?
Are you resolved to retain your hope, let it prove ever so un-
sound and hurtful ? Will you hold it fast till you go to hell with
it ? Many men cling to a false hope, and embrace it so closely,
that they never let it go till the flames of hell cause their arms
to unclench and let go their hold. Consider how you will an-
swer it at the day of judgment, when God shall call you to an
account for your folly in resting in such a hope. Will it be a
sufficient answer for you to say, that you had the charity of
others, and that they thought your conversion was right ?
Certainly, it is foolish for men to imagine, that God had no
more wisdom, or could contrive no other way of bestowing com-
fort and hope of eternal life, than one which should encourage
men to forsake him.
SERMON VIII.
HYPOCRITES DEFICIENT IN THE DUTY OF PRAYER.
Job XXVII. 10.
Will he always call upon God ?
From these words, our doctrine was, That however hypo»
crites may continue for a season in the duty of prayer, yet it is
their manner, after a while, in a great measure to leave it off.
This was our subject in the preceding discourse, in which, after
having shown — how hypocrites often continue for a season to
call upon God — how it is their manner, after a while in a great
measure to leave it off — and having given the reasons why this
is their manner, I came at length to make application^ which I
proposed to do in an use of exhortation in two branches ; and
lirst to exhort those who entertain a hope of their good estate,
and yet live in the neglect of secret prayer, to reject their hope.
One particular consideration I have already laid before men of
this character, to the end just mentioned ; and I now proceed
to say to them, —
2. How is your conduct consistent with loving God above
all. If you have not a spirit to love God above your dearest
earthly friends, and your most pleasant earthly enjoyments ;
the scriptures are very plain, and full in it, that you are not true
Christians. But if you had indeed such a spirit, would you
thus grow weary of the practice of drawing near to him, and
become habitually so averse to it, as in a great measure to cast
off so plain a duty, which is so much the life of a child of God?
It is the nature of love to be averse to absence, and to love a near
access to those whom we love. We love to be with them ;
we delight to come often to them, and to have much con-
versation with them. But when a person who hath heretofore
been wont to converse freely with another, by degrees forsakes
him, grows strange, and converses with him but little, and that
although the other be importunate with him for the continuance
of their former intimacy ; this plainly shows the coldness of his
heart towards him.
80 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
The neglect of the duty of prayer seems to be inconsistent
with supreme love to God also upon another account, and
that is, that it is against the will of God so plainly revealed. —
True love to God seeks to please him in every thing, and univer-
sally to conform to his will.
3. Your thus restraining prayer before God is not only
inconsistent with the love, but also with the fear of God. It
is an argument that you cast off fear, as is manifest by that
text, Job XV. 4. Yea, thou easiest off fear, and restrainest prayer
before God. While you thus live in the transgression of so plain
a command of God, you evidently show, that there is no fear
of God before your e)es. Psalm xxxvi. 1. '*■ The transgression
of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God
before his eyes."
4. Consider how living in such a neglect is consistent with
leading a holy life. We are abundantly instructed in scripture,
that true Christians do lead a holy life : that without holiness no
man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14; and that every one that
hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as Christ is pure,
1 John iii. 3. In Prov. xvi. 17. it is said, " The highway of the
upright is to depart from evil," i. e. the common beaten road in
which all the godly travel. To the like purpose is Isa. xxxv.
8. " An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called
the way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it
shall be for those :" i. e. those redeemed persons spoken of in the
foregoing verses. It is spoken of in Rom. viii. 1. as the
character of all believers, that they walk not after the flesh, but
after the spirit.
But how is a life, in a great measure prayerless, consistent
with a holy life ? To lead a holy life, is to lead a life devoted
to God; a life of worshipping and serving God ; a life conse-
crated to the service of God. But how doth he lead such a
life who doth not so much as maintain the duty of prayer?
How can such a man be said to walk by the spirit, and to be a
servant of the Most High God? A holy life is a life of faith.
The life that true Christians live in the world, they live by the
faith of the Son of God. But who can believe that the man
lives by faith who lives without prayer, which is the natural
expression of faith ' Prayer is as natural an expression of faith,
as breathing is of life ; and to say a man lives a life of faith, and
yet lives a prayerless life^ is every whit as inconsistent and
incredible, as to say, that a man lives without breathing. A
prayerless life is so far from being holy, that it is a profane life ;
he that lives so, lives like a Heathen, who calleth not on God's
name ; he that lives a prayerless life, lives without God in the
world.
5. If you live in the neglect of secret prayer, you show
your good-will to neglect all the worship of God. He that
SER. VIII. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer. Bl
prays only when he prays with others, would not pray at all,
were it not that the eyes of others are upon him. He that will
not pray where none but God seeth him, manifestly doth not
pray at all out of respect to God, or regard to his all-seeing
eye, and therefore doth in effect cast off all prayer. And he
that casts off prayer, in effect casts off all the worship of God,
of which prayer is the principal duty. Now, what a miserable
saint is he who is no worshipper of God ! He that casts off the
worship of God, in effect casts off God himself: he refuses to
own him, or to be conversant with him as his God. For the
way in which men own God, and are conversant with him, as
their God, is by worshipping him.
6. How can you expect to dwell with God for ever, if you
so neglect and forsake him here ? This your practice shews,
that you place not your happiness in God, in nearness to him,
and communion with him. He who refuses to visit and con-
verse with a friend, and who in a great measure forsakes him,
when he is abundantly invited and importuned to come ; plainly
shows that he places not his happiness in the company and con-
versation of that friend. Now, if this be the case with you
respecting God^ then how can you expect to have it for your
happiness to all eternity, to be with God, and to enjoy holy com-
munion with him ?
Let those persons who hope they are converted, and yet
have in a great measure left off the duty of secret prayer, and
whose manner it is ordinarily to neglect it, for their own sake
seriously consider these things. For what will it profit them
to please themselves with that, while they live, which will fail
them at last, and leave them in fearful and amazing disappoint-
ment!
It is probable, that some of you who have entertained a
good opinion of your state, and have looked upon yourselves
as converts — but have of late in a great measure left off the
duty — will this evening attend secret prayer, and so may conti-
nue to do for a little while after your hearing this sermon, to
the end that you may solve the objection which is made against
the truth of your hope. But this will not hold. As it hath
been in former instances of the like nature, so what you now
hear, will have such effect upon you but a little while. —
When the business and cares of the world shall again begin to
crowd a little upon you, or the next time you shall go out
into young company, it is probable you will again neglect
this duty. After the next frolic to which you go, it is highly
probable you will neglect not only secret, but also family
prayer. Or, at least, after a while, you will come to the
same pass as before, in casting off fear, and restraining prayer
before God.
Vol. VI. n
82 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
It is not very likely that you will ever be constant and perse-
vering in this duty, until you shall have obtained a better prin-
ciple in your hearts. The streams which have no springs to
feed them will dry up. The drought and heat consume the
snow-waters. Although they run plentifully in the spring, yet
when the sun ascends higher, with a burning heat, they are gone.
The seed that is sown in stony places, though it seem to flourish
at present, yet as the sun shall rise with a burning heat, will
wither away. None will bring forth fruit with patience, but
those whose hearts are become good ground.
Without any heavenly seed remaining in them, men may,
whenever they fall in among the godly, continue all their lives
to talk like saints. They may, for their credit sake, tell of what
they have experienced : but their deeds will not hold. They
may continue to tell of their inward experiences, and yet live
in the neglect of secret prayer, and of other duties.
II. I would take occasion from this doctrine, to exhort all
to persevere in the duty of prayer. This exhortation is much
insisted on in the word of God. It is insisted on in the Old
Testament ; 1 Chron. xvi. 11. " Seek the Lord and his strength,
seek his face continually.'''' Isa. Ixii. 7. " Ye that make men-
tion of the Lord, keep not silence:" i. e. be not silent as to
the voice of prayer, as is manifest by the following words, " and
give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a
praise in the earth." Israel of old is reproved for growing
weary of the duty of prayer. Isa. xliii. 22. " But thou hast
not called upon me, O Jacob, thou hast been weary of me, O
Israel."
Perseverance in the duty of prayer, is very much insisted
on in the New Testament ; as Luke xviii. at the beginning.
"A man ought always tu piay, and not to faint ;" i. e. not to be
discouraged or weary of the duty ; but should always continue
in it. Again, Luke xxi. 36: "Watch ye, therefore, and pray
always,^'' We have the example of Anna, the prophetess, set
before us, Luke i. 36, &:c., who, though she had lived to be
more than an hundred years old, yet was not weary of this
duty. It is said, " She departed not from the temple, but served
God with fastings and prayers night and day." Cornelius
also is commended for his constancy in this duty. It is said,
that he prayed to God always ; Acts x. 2. The apostle Paul
in his epistles, insists very much on constancy in this duty ;
Rom. xii. 12. " Continuing instant in prayer." Eph. vi. 18,
19. " Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance." Col.
iv. 2. " Continue in prayer, and watch in the same." 1 Thess.
v. 17. " Pray without ceasing." To the same effect the apos-
tle Peter, 1 Pet. iv. 7. " Watch unto prayer." Thus abun-
bER. VIII. Hypocrites deficienl in prayer. 83
dantly the scriptures insist upon it, that we should persevere in
the duty of prayer ; which shows that it is of very great impor-
tance that we should persevere. If the contrary be the man-
ner of hypocrites, as hath been shown in the doctrine, then
surely we ought to beware of this leaveti-
But here let the following things be particularly considered
as motives to perseverance in this duty.
1. That perseverance in the way of duty is necessary to
salvation, and is abundantly declared to be so in the holy scrip-
tures ; as Isa. Ixiv. 5. " Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and
worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways :
behold, thou art wroth, for we have sinned , in those is con-
tinuance, and we shall be saved." Heb. x. 38, 39. " Now
the just shall live by faith : but if any man draw hack, my soul
hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw
back unto perdition y but of them that believe to the saving of
the soul." Rom. si. 22. Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God : on them which fell, severity ; but towards
thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness ; otherwise thou
also shalt be cut off." — So in many other places.
Many, when they think they are converted, seem to ima-
gine that their work is done, and that there is nothing else
needful in order to their going to heaven. Indeed perseverance
in holiness of life is not necessary to salvation in the same way
as the righteousness by which a right to salvation is obtained.
Nor is actual perseverance necessary in order to our becoming
interested in that righteousness by which we are justified. For
as soon as ever a soul hath believed in Christ, or hath put forth
one act of faith in him, it becomes interested in his righteous-
ness, and in all the promises purchased by it.
But persevering in the way of duty is necessary to salvation
as a concomitant and evidence of a title to salvation. There
is never a title to salvation without it, though it be not the
righteousness by which a title to salvation is obtained. It is
necessary to salvation, as it is the necessary consequence of true
faith. It is an evidence which universally attends uprightness,
and the defect of it is an infallible evidence of the want of
uprightness. Psalm cxxv. 4, 5. There such as are good and
upright in heart, are distinguished from such as fall away or
turn aside: "Do good, O Lord, to those that are good, and
to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn
aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth
with the workers of iniquity. But peace shall be upon Israel."
It is mentioned as an evidence that the hearts of the children
of Israel were not right with God, that they did not persevere
in the ways of holiness. Psalm Ixxviii. 8. A generation that
Bet not their hearts aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast
with God."
y4 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Christ gives this as a distinguishing character of those that
are his disciples indeed, and of a true and saving faith, that it is
accompanied with perseverance in obedience to Christ's word.
John viii. 31. " Then said Jesus to those Jews which be-
lieved on him. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed." This is mentioned as a necessary evidence
of an interest in Christ, Heb. iii. 14. " We are made partakers
of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast
to the end."
Perseverance is not only a necessary concomitant and
evidence of a title to salvation ; but also a necessary pre-requisite
to the actual possession of eternal life. It is the only way to
heaven, the narrow way that leadeth to life. Hence, Christ
exhorts the church of Philadelphia to persevere in holiness
from this consideration, that it was necessary in order to her
obtaining the crown. Rev. iii. 11. " Hold fast that which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown." It is necessary not
only that persons should once have been walking in the way of
duty, but that they should be found so doing when Christ
cometh. Luke xii. 43. " Blessed is that servant whom his
Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing." Holding out to
the end is often made the condition of actual salvation. Matt.
X. 22. " He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved:'*
and Rev. ii. 10. " Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life."
2. In order to your own perseverance in the way of duty
your own care and watchfulness is necessary. For though,
it be promised that true saints shall persevere, yet that is no
argument that their care and w^atchfulness is not necessary in
order to it ; because their care to keep the commands of God is
the thing promised. If the saints should fail of care, watchful-
ness, and dilii^ience to persevere in holiness, that failure of their
care and diligence would itself be a failure of holiness. They
who persevere not in watchfulness and diligence, persevere not
in holiness of life, for holiness of life very much consists in
watchfulness and diligence to keep the commands of God. It
is one promise of the covenant of grace, that the saints shall
keep God's commandments. Ezek. xi. 19, 20. — Yet that is no
ai^ument that they have no need to take care to keep these com-
mandments, or to do their duty. So the promise of God, that
the saints shall persevere in holiness, is no argume; t that it is
not necessary that they should take heed lest they fall away.
Therefore, the scriptures abundantly warn men to watch
over themselves diligently, and to give earnest heed lest they
fall away. 1 Cor. x. 13. "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith,
quit you like men, be strong." 1 Cor. x. 12. "Let him that
thinketh he standeth, take heed lest befall." Heb. iii- 12 — 14.
" Take heed, brethren, lest there be in anv of vou an evil heart
SER. VIII. Hypocrites deficient in Prayer. 8i
of unbelief in departing from the living God ; but exhort one
another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of you be har-
dened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made par-
takers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
steadfast unto the end." Heb. iv- 1. " Let us, therefore, fear,
lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you
should seem to come short of it." 2 Pet. iii. 17. " Ye, there-
fore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest
ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own steadfastness." 2 John v. 8. " Look to yourselves,
that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that
we receive a full reward." — Thus you see how earnestly the
scriptures press on Christians, exhortations to take diligent heed
to themselves that they fall not away. And certainly these cau-
tions are not without reason.
The scriptures particularly insist upon watchfulness, in order
to perseverance in the duty of prayer. Watch and pray^ saith
Christ; which implies, that we should watch unto prayer, as the
apostle Peter says, 1 Pet. iv. 7. It implies, that we should
watch against a neglect of prayer, as well as against other sins.
The apostle, in places which have been already mentioned, di-
rects us to pray with all prayer, watching thereunto with all per-
severance, and to continue in prayer, and watch in the same.
Nor is it any wonder that the apostles so much insisted on
watching, in order to a continuance in prayer with all perseve-
rance ; for there are many temptations to neglect this duty ; first
to be inconstant in it, and from time to time to omit it ; then^
in a great measure to neglect it. The devil watches by tempta-
tion to draw us away from God, and to hinder us from going
to him in prayer. We are surrounded with one and another
tempting object, business, and diversion : particularly, we meet
with many things which are great temptations to a neglect of
this duty.
3. To move you to persevere in the duty of prayer, con-
sider how much you always stand in need of the help of God.
If persons who have formerly attended this duty, leave it off, the
language of it is, that now they stand in no further need of God's
help, that they have no further occasion to go to God with re-
quests and supplications : when, indeed, it is in God we live, and
move, and have our being. We cannot draw a breath without his
help. You need his help every day for the supply of your out-
ward wants ; and especially you stand in continual need of him
to help your souls. Without his protection, they would imme-
diately fall into the hands of the devil, who always stands as a
roaring lion ready, whenever he is permitted, to fall upon he
souls of men and devour them. If God should, indeed, preserve
your lives, but should otherwise forsake and leave vou to your-
8G TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
selves, you would be most miserable : your lives would be a
curse to you.
Those that are converted, if God should forsake them,
would soon fall away totally from a state of grace into a state
far more miserable than ever they were in before their conver-
sion. They have no strength of their own to resist those power-
ful enemies who surround them. Sin and Satan would imme-
diately carry them away, as a niighty flood, if God should forsake
them. You stand in need of daily supplies from God. With-
out God you can receive no spiritual light nor comfort, can ex-
ercise no grace, can bring forth no fruit. Without God your
souls will wither and pine away, and sink into a most wretched
state. You continually need the instructions and directions of
God. What can a little child do in a vast howling wilderness,
without some one to guide it, and to lead it in the right way ?
Without God, you will soon fall into snares, and pits, and many
fatal calamities.
Seeing, therefore, you stand in such continual need of the
help of God, how reasonable is it that you should continually
seek it of him, and perseveringly acknowledge your dependence
upon him, by resorting to him to spread your needs before him,
and to offer up your requests to him in prayer. Let us consi-
der how miserable we should be, if we should leave off prayer,
and God, at the same time, should leave off to take care of us.
or to afford us any more supplies of his grace. By our con-
stancy in prayer, we cannot be protitable to God ; and if we
leave it off, God will sustain no damage: he doth not need our
prayers ; Job xxxv. 6, 7. But if God cease to care for us, and
to help us, we immediately sink : we can do nothing : we can
receive nothing without him.
4. Consider the great benefit of a constant, diligent, and
persevering attendance on this duty. It is one of the greatest
and most excellent means of nourishing the new nature, and of
causing the soul to flourish and prosper. It is an excellent
mean of keeping up an acquaintance with, and of growing in the
knowledge of God. It is the way to a life of communion with
God. It is an excellent mean of taking off the heart from the
vanities of the world, and of causing the mind to be conversant
in heaven. It is an excellent preservative from sin and the wiles
of the devil, and a powerful antidote against the poison of the
old serpent. It is a duty whereby strength is derived from God
against the lusts and corruptions of the heart, and the snares of
the world.
It hath a great tendency to keep the soul in a wakeful
frame, and to lead us to a strict walk with God, and to a life
that shall be fruitful in such good works, as tend to adorn the
doctrine of Christ, and to cause our light so to shine before others,'
that they seeing our good works, shall glorify our Father who is
SER. viir. Hypocrites dejicicnt in prayei'. o7
in heaven. And if the duty be constantly and diligently at-
tended, it will be a very pleasant duty. Slack and slothful at-
tendance upon it, and unsteadiness in it, are the causes which
make it so great a burthen as it is to some persons. Their sloth-
fulness in it hath naturally the effect to beget a dislike of the
duty, and a great indisposition to it. But if it be constantly and
diligently attended, it is one of the best means of leading not
only a Christian and amiable, but also a pleasant life ; a life of
much sweet fellowship with Christ, and of the abundant enjoy-
ment of the light of his countenance.
Besides, the great power which prayer, when duly attended,
hath with God, is worthy of your notice. By it men become
like Jacob, who as a prince had power with God and prevailed,
when he wrestled for the blessing. See the power of prayer
represented in James v. 16 — 18. By these things you may be
sensible how much you will lose, if you shall be negligent in
this great duty of calling upon God ; and how ill you will con-
sult your own interest by such a neglect.
I conclude my discourse with two directions in order to
constancy and perseverance in this duty.
1, Watch against the beginnings of a neglect of this dutj'.
Persons who have for a time practised, and afterwards neglect
it, commonly leave it off by degrees. While their convictions
and religious affections last, they are very constant in their
closets, and no worldly business, or company or diversion,
hinders them. But as their convictions and affections begin to
die away, they begin to find excuses to neglect it sometimes. —
They are now so hurried; they have now such and such things
to attend to ; or there are now such inconveniences in the way,
that they persuade themselves they may very excusably omit it
for this time. Afterwards it pretty frequently so happens, that
they have something to hinder, something which they call a
just excuse. After a while, a less thing becomes a sufficient
excuse than was allowed to be such at first. Thus the person
by degrees contracts more and more a habit of neglecting
prayer, and becomes more and more indisposed to it. And even
when he doth perform it, it is in such a poor, dull, heartless,
miserable manner, that he says to himself, he might as well not
do it at all, as do it thus. Thus he makes his own dulness and
indisposition an excuse for wholly neglecting it, or at least for
living in a great measure in its neglect. — After this manner do
Satan and men's own corruptions inveigle them to their ruin.
Therefore beware of the first beginnings of a neglect :
Watch against temptations to it: Take heed how you begin to
allow excuses. Be watchful to keep up the duty in the height
of it; let it not so much as begin to sink. For when you give
way, though it be but little, it is like giving way to an enemy in
B3 TAVENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the field of battle : the first beginning of a retreat greatly
encourages the enemy, and weakens the retreating soldiers.
2. Let me direct you to forsake all such practices as you
find by experience do indispose you to the duty of secret prayer.
Examine the things in which you have allowed yourselves^ and
inquire whether they have had this effect. You are able to look
over your past behaviour, and may doubtless, on an impartial
consideration, make a judgment of the practices and courses in
which you have allowed yourselves.
Particularly let young people examine their manner of
company keeping, and the round of diversions in which with
their companions they have allowed themselves. I only desire
that you would ask at the mouth of your own consciences what
has been the effect of these things with respect to your attend-
ance on the duty of secret prayer. Have you not found that
such practices have tended to the neglect of this duty ? Have
you not found that after them you have been more indisposed
to it, and less conscientious and careful to attend it ? Yea, have
they not from time to time, actually been the means of your
neglecting it ?
If you cannot deny that this is really the case, then if you
seek the good of your souls, forsake these practices. Whatever
you may plead for them, as that there is no harm in them, or
that there is a time for all things, and the like ; yet if you find
this harm in the consequence, it is time for you to forsake them.
And if you value heaven more than a little worldly diversion ; if
you set a higher price on eternal glory, than on a dance or a
song, you will forsake them.
If these things be lawful in themselves, yet if your expe-
rience shew, that they are attended with such a consequence as
T have now mentioned, that is enough. It is lawful in itself for
you to enjoy your right hand and your right eye : but if by expe-
rience you find they cause you to offend, it is time for you to
cut off the one, and pluck out the other, as you would rather go
to heaven without them than to go to hell with them, into that
place of torment where the worm dieth not, and the fire is.not
quenched.
SERMON IX.^
THE FUTURE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED UNAVOID-
ABLE AND INTOLERABLE.
EZEK. XXII. 14.
Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days
that I shall deal with thee ? I the Lord have spoken it, and
will do it.
In the former part of this chapter, we have a dreadful cata-
logue of the sins of Jerusalem ; as you may see from the first to
the thirteenth verse. In the thirteenth, which is the verse pre-
ceding the text, God manifests his great displeasure and fearful
wrath against them for their iniquities. " Behold, I have
smitten my hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made,
and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee." The
expression of God's smiting his hand, signifies the greatness of
his anger, and his preparing himself, as it were, to execute wrath
answerable to their heinous crimes. It is an allusion to what
we sometimes see in men when they are surprised, by seeing or
hearing of some horrid offence, or most intolerable injury, which
very much stirs their spirits, and animates them with high re-
sentment ; on such an occasion they will rise up in wrath and
smite their hands together, as an expression of the heat of their
indignation, and full resolution to be avenged on those who
have committed the injury, as in chap. xxii. 17. "I will also
smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest ; I
the Lord have said it." Then, in the text, the punishment of
that people is represented.
1 . The nature of their punishment is more generally repre-
sented in that, God will undertake to deal with them. The
prophets could do nothing with them. God had sent them one
after another ; but those sinners were too strong for them, and
* Dated, April 174L
Vol. VL 12
90 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
beat one, and killed another. Therefore now God himself un-
dertakes to deal with them,
2. Their punishment is more particularly represented in
three things, viz. The intolerableness, the remedilessness, and
the unavoidableness of it. — The intolerableness of it : can thine
heart endure ? Its remedilessness, or the impossibility of their
doing any thing for their own relief: can thine hands he strong ?
— Its unavoidableness : I the Lord have spoken it, and zoill do it.
DOCTRINE.
Since God hath undertaken to deal with impenitent sinners,
they shall neither shun the threatened misery, nor deliver them-
selves out of it, nor can they bear it.
In handling this doctrine I shall, 1 . Shew what is implied
in God's undertaking to deal with impenitent sinners. 2. That
therefore they cannot avoid punishment. 3. That they cannot
in any measure deliver themselves from it ; or do any thing for
their own relief under it. 4. That they cannot bear it. 5. I
shall answer an inquiry ; and then proceed to the use.
I. I shall shew what is implied in God's undertaking to
deal with impenitent sinners. Others are not able to deal with
them. They baffle all the means used with them by those that
are appointed to teach and to rule over them. They will not yield
to parents, or to the counsels, warnings, or reproofs of ministers :
they prove obstinate and stiff-hearted. Therefore God under-
takes to deal with them. This implies the following things :
1. That God will reckon with them, and take of them
satisfaction to his justice. In this world God puts forth his
authority to command them, and to require their subjection to
him. In his commands he is ver}' positive, strictly requiring of
them the performance of duties, and as positively forbidding
things contrary to their duty. But they have no regard to these
commands. God continues commanding, and they continue
rebelling. They make nothing of God's authority. God
threatens, but they despise his threatenings. They make nothing
of dishonouring God : they care not how much their behaviour
is to his dishonour. He offers them mercy, if they will repent
and return : but they despise his mercy as well as his wrath. —
God calleth, but they refuse. Thus they are continually plun-
ging themselves deeper and deeper in debt, and at the same
time imagine they shall escape the payment of the debt, and
design entirely to rob God of his due.
But God hath undertaken to right himself. He will reckon ,
with them : he hath undertaken to see that the debts due to him
ftER. IX. Future Punishment unavoidahk. 91
are paid. All their sins are written in his book; not. one of
them is forgotten, and every one must be paid. If God be wise
enough, and strong enough, he will have full satisfaction ; hq
will exact the very utmost farthing. He undertakes it as his
part, as what belongs to him, to see himself righted, wherein he
hath been wronged. Deut. xxxii. 35. " To me belongeth ven-
geance." Ibid. vii. 10. "He will not be slack to him that
hateth him ; he will repay him to his face."
2. He hath undertaken to vindicale the honour of his ma-
jesty. His majesty they despise. They hear that he is a great
God ; but they despise his greatness ; they look upon him as
worthy of contempt, and treat him accordingly. They hear of
him by the name of a great king; but his authority they regard
not, and sometimes trample upon it for years together.
But God hath not left the honour of his majesty wholly to
their care. Though they now trample it in the dust, yet that is
no sign that it will tiually be lost. If God had left it wholly in
their hands, it would indeed be lost. But God doth not leave
his honour and his glory with his enemies ; it is too precious in
his eyes to be so neglected. He hath reserved the care of it to
himself: he will see to it, that his own injured majesty is vindi-
cated. If the honour of God, upon which sinners trample,
finally He in the dust, it will be because he is not strong enough
to vindicate himself. He hath sworn, in Numb. xiv. 21, "As
truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the
Lord."
Sinners despise his Son, and trample him under their feet :
but he will see if he cannot make the glory of his Son appear,
with respect to them ; that all the earth may know how evil a
thing it is to despise the Son of God. God intends that all men
and angels, all heaven and all earth, shall see whether he be
sufficient to magnify himself upon sinners who now despise him.
He intends that the issue of things with respect to them shall
be open, that all men may see it.
3. He hath undertaken to subdue impenitent sinners. Their
hearts, while in this world, are very unsubdued. They lift up
their heads and conduct themselves very proudly and contemptu-
ously, and often sin with a high hand. They set their mouths
against the heavens, and their tongues walk through the earth.
They practically say, as Pharaoh did, "Who is the Lord? I
know not the Lord, neither will I obey his voice." Job xxi,
41. They say to God, " Depart from us, for we desire not the
knowledge of thy ways."
Some, who cover their sin with a specious show, who put
on a face of religion, and a demure countenance and behaviour,
yet have this spirit secretly reigning in their breasts. Notwith-
standing all their fair show, and good external carriage, they
despise God in their hearts, and have the weapons of warabont
92 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
them, though they carry their swords under their skirts. They
have most proud, stubborn, and rebelHous hearts, which are
ready to rise in opposition, to contend with him, and to find
fault with his dispensations. Their hearts are full of pride,
enmity, stubbornness, and blasphemy, which work in them many
ways, while they sit under the preaching of the word, and while
the Spirit of God is striving with them : and they always con-
tinue to oppose and resist God as long as they live in the world ;
they never lay down the weapons of their rebellion.
But God hath undertaken to deal with them, and to sub-
due them ; and those proud and stubborn hearts, which will
not yield to the power of God's word, shall be broken by the
power of his hand. If they will not be willing subjects to the
golden sceptre, and will not yield to the attractives of his love,
they shall be subject to the force of the iron rod, whether they
will or not.
Them that proudly set up their own righteousness, and
their own wills, God hath undertaken to bring down : and,
without doubt, it will be done. He hath undertaken to make
those who are now regardless, to regard him. They shall know
that he is Jehovah. Now they will not own that he is the
Lord ; but they shall know it. Isaiah xxvi. 11. " Lord, when
thine hand is lifted up, they will not see : but they shall see."
Now wicked men not only hate God, but they slight him;
they are not afraid of him. But he will subdue their contempt.
When he shall come to take them in hand, they will hate him
still ; but they will not slight him ; they will not make light of
his power as they now do ; they will see and feel too much of
the infinity of his power to slight it. They are now wont to
slight his wrath ; but then they will slight it no more; they will
find by sufficient experience, that his wrath is not to be slighted:
they will learn this to their cost, and they never will forget it.
4. God hath undertaken to rectify their judgments. Now
they will not be convinced of those things which God tells them
in his word. Ministers take much pains to convince them, but
all is in vain. Therefore God will undertake to convince them,
and he will do it effectually. Now they will not be convinced
of the truth of divine things- They have, indeed, convincing
arguments set before them ; they hear and see enough to con-
vince them ; yet, so prone are they to unbelief and atheism, that
divine things never seem to them to be real. But God will
hereafter make them seem real.
Now they are always doubting of the truth of the scrip-
tures, questioning whether they be the word of God, and whether
the threatenings of scripture be true- But God hath underta-
ken to convince them, that those threatenings are true, and he
will make them to know that they are true, so that they will ne-
ver doubt any more for ever- They will be convinced by dear
SER. IX. Future Punishment unavoidable, 93
experience. Now they are always questioning whether there
be any such place as hell. They hear much about it, but it al-
ways seems to them like a dream. But God will make it seem
otherwise than a dream. Now they are often told of the vanity
of the world ; but we may as well preach to the beasts, to per-
suade them of the vanity of earthly things. But God will un-
dertake to convince them of this ; he will hereafter give them
a thorough conviction of it, so that they shall have a strong
sense of the vanity of all these things.
Now ministers often tell sinners, of the great importance
of an interest in Christ, and that that is the one thing needful.
They are also told the folly of delaying the care of their souls,
and how much it concerns them to improve their opportunity.
But the instructions of ministers do not convince them, therefore
God will undertake to convince them.
Impenitent sinners, while in this world, hear how dreadful
hell is. But they will not believe that it is so dreadful as mi-
nisters represent. They caimot think that they shall to all eter-
nity suffer such exquisite and horrible torments. But they shall
be taught and convinced to purpose, that the representations
ministers give of those torments, agreeable to the word of God,
are indeed as dreadful as they declare. — Since God hath
undertaken to deal with sinners, and to rectify their judgments
in these matters, he will do it thoroughly ; for his work is
perfect : when he undertakes to do things, he doth not do them
by halves ; therefore before he shall have done with sinners, he
will convince them effectually, so that they shall never be in
danger of relapsing into their former errors. He will convince
them of their folly and stupidity in entertaining such notions as
they now entertain.
Thus God hath undertaken to deal with obstinate unbe-
lievers. They carry things on in great confusion ; but we need
not be dismayed at it : let us wait, and we shall see that God
will rectify things. Sinners will not always continue to rebel
and despise with impunity. The honour of God will in due
time be vindicated ; and they shall be subdued and convicted,
and shall give an account. There is no sin, not so much as
an idle word that they shall speak, but they must give an ac-
count of it; Matt. xii. 36. And their sins must be fully
balanced, and recompensed, and satisfaction obtained. Be-
cause judgment against their evil works, is not speedily executed,
their hearts are fully set in them to do evil. Yet God is a
righteous judge ; he will see that judgment is executed in due
time. — I come now,
II. To show, that therefore impenitent sinners shall not
avoid their due punishment. God hath undertaken to inflict
it ; he hath engaged to do it ; he takes it as what properly be-
94 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
longs to him, and we may expect it of him. If he hath sworn
by his life, that he will do it ; and if he hath power sufficient ;
if he is the living God, doubtless we shall see it done. And
that God hath declared that he will punish impenitent sinners,
is manifest from many scriptures; as Deat. xxxii. 41. " I will
render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that
hate me." Deut. vii. 10. " He will not be slack to him that
hateth him : he will repay him to his face." Exod. xxxiv. 7.
" That will by no means clear the guilty." Nahum i. 3.
" The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not
at all acquit the wicked."
God saith in the text, " I the Lord have spoken it, and
will do it ;" which leaves no room to doubt of the actual fulfil-
ment of the threatening in its utmost extent. Some have
flattered themselves, that although God hath threatened very
dreadful things to wicked men for their sins, yet in his heart
he never intends to fulfil his threatenings, but only to terrify
them, and make them afraid, while they live. But would
the infinitely ho-y God. who is not a man that he sliould lie,
and who speaketh no vain words, utter himself in this manner :
/ the Lord have spok"n it and will do it ; / have not only
threatened, hut I toil/ a L^o fulfil my threatenings ; when at the
same time these words did not agree with his heart, but he
secretly knew that though he had spoken, yet he intended not
to do it ? Who is he that dares to entertain such horrid blas-
phemy in his heart ?
No ; let no impenitent sinner flatter himself so vainly
and foolishly. If he were indeed only a man, a being of like
impotency and mutability with themselves, who had under-
taken to deal with them ; they might perhaps with some reason
flatter themselves, that they should find some means to avoid
the threatened punishment. But since an omniscient, omni-
potent, immutable God hath undertaken, vain are all such
hopes.
There is no hope that possibly they may steal away to
heaven, though they die unconverted. There is no hope that
they can deceive God by any false shoAv of repentance and
faith, and so be taken to heaven through mistake: for the eyes
of God are as a flame of fire ; they perfectly see through every
man ; the inmost closet of the heart is all open to him.
There is no hope of escaping the threatened punishment
by sinking into nothing at death, like brute creatures. Indeed,
many wicked men upon their death-beds wish for this. If it
were so, death would be nothing to them in comparison with
what it now is. But all such wishes are vain.
There is no hope of their escaping without notice, when
they leave the body. There is no hope that God, by reason
of the multiplicity of affairs which he hath to mind, will happen
3ER. IS. Future Punishment unavoidable. do
to overlook them and not take notice of them, when they come
to die ; that their souls will slip away privately, and hide
themselves in some secret corner, and so escape divine ven-
geance.
There is no hope that they shall be missed in a crowd at
the day of judgment, and that they can have opportunity to
hide themselves in some cave or den of the mountains, or in
any secret hole of the earth ; and that while so doing, they will
not be minded, by reason of the many things which will be the
objects of attention on that day, — neither is there any hope
that they will be able to crowd themselves in among the mul-
titude of the saints at *hc right hand cf the Judge, and so go to
heaven undiscovered. Nor is there any hope tha^ God will
alter his mind, or that he will repent of what he hath said ; for
he is not the son of man, that he should repent. Hath he said,
and shall he not do it ? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make
it good ? When did God ever undertake to do any thing and
fail : — I come now,
III. To show, that as impenitent sinners cannot shun the
threatened punishment ; so neither can they do any thing to
deliver themselves from it, or to relieve themselves under it.
This is implied in those words of the text, Can thine hands be
strong ? It is with our hands that we make and accomplish
things for ourselves. But the wicked in hell will have no
strength of hand to accomplish any thing at all for themselves,
or to bring to pass any deliverance, or any degree of relief.
1. They will not be able in that conflict to overcome their
enemy, and so to deliver themselves. God, who will then
undertake to deal with them, and will gird himself with might
to execute wrath, will be their enemy, and will act the part of
an enemy with a witness ; and they will have no strength to op-
pose him. Those who live negligent of their souls under the
light of the gospel, act as if they supposed, that they should be
able hereafter to make their part good with God. 1 Cor. x. 22.
" Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than
he ?" — But they will have no power, no might to resist that
omnipotence, which will be engaged against them.
2. They will have no strength in their hands to do any
thing to appease God, or in the least to abate the fierceness of
his wrath. They will not be able to offer any satisfaction :
they will not be able to procure God's pity. Though they cry,
God will not hear them. They will find no price to offer to God,
in order to purchase favour, or to pay any part of their debt.
3. They will not be able to find any to befriend them, and
intercede with God for them. They had the offer of a mediator
often made them in this world ; but they will have no such offers
in hell. None will befriend them ; in hell, all there will be
9G tWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
their enemies. They will have no friend in heaven : none of
the saints or angels will befriend them : or if they should, it
would be to no purpose. There will be no creature that will
have any power to deliver them, nor will any ever pity them.
4. Nor will they ever be able to make their escape. They
will find no means to break prison and flee. In hell they will
be reserved in chains of darkness for ever and ever. Malefac-
tors have often found means to escape the hand of civil justice.
But none ever escaped out of the prison of hell, which is God's
prison. It is a strong prison : it is beyond any finite power,
or the united strength of all wicked men and devils, to unlock,
or break open the door of that prision. Christ hath the key of
hell ; " he shuts and no man opens."
5. Nor will they ever be able to find any thing to relieve
them in hell. They will never find any resting place there ;
any secret corner, which will be cooler than the rest, where
they may have a little respite, a small abatement of the ex-
tremity of their torment. They never will be able to find any
cooling stream or fountain, in any part of that world of torment;
no, nor so much as a drop of water to cool their tongues.
They will find no company to give them any comfort, or to do
them the least good. They will find no place, where they can
remain, and rest, and take breath for one minute : for they will
be tormented with fire and brimstone ; and will have no rest
day nor night for ever and ever.
Thus impenitent sinners will be able neither to shun the
punishment threatened, nor to deliver themselves from it, nor
to find anv relief under it.
SEliMON X.
THE FUTURE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED UNAVOID-
ABLE AND INTOLERABLE.
EZEK, XXII. 14.
Can thine heart endure^ or can thine hands he strong, in the days
that I shall deal zoith thee ? I the Lord have spoken it, and
will do it.
Having shown that impenitent sinners will hereafter be
able, neither to avoid the punishment threatened, nor to
dehver themselves from it, nor to find any relief under it ; I
come now,
IV. To show, that neither will they be able to bear it.
Neither will their hands be strong to deliver them from it, nor
will their hearts be able to endure it. It is common with men
when they meet with calamities in this world, in the first place
to endeavour to shun them. But if they find, that they can-
not shun them ; then after they are come, they endeavour to
deliver themselves from them as soon as they can ; or at least,
to deliver themselves in some degree. But if they find that
they can by no means deliver themselves, and see that they
must bear them ; then they fortify their spirits, and take up a
resolution, that they will support themselves under them as
well as they can.
But it will be utterly in vain for impenitent sinners to think
to do thus with respect to the torments of hell. They will not
be able to endure them, or at all to support themselves under
them : the torment will be immensely beyond their strength.
What will it signify for a worm, which is about to be pressed
under the weight of some great rock, to be let fall with its
whole weight upon it, to collect its strength, to set itself to bear
Vol. VI. 13
98 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
up the weight of the rock, and to preserve itself from being
crushed by it ? — Much more vain will it be for a poor damned
soul, to endeavour to support itself under the weight of the
wrath of Almighty God. What is the strength of man, who is
but a worm, to support himself against the power of Jehovah,
and against the fierceness of his wrath ? What is man's strength,
Avhen set to bear up against the exertions of infinite power ?
Matt. xxi. 44. "Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken ; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to
powder."
When sinners hear of hell-torments, they sometimes think
w^ith themselves ; Well, if it shall come to that, that I must go
to hell, I will bear it as well as I can : as if by clothing them-
selves with resolution and firmness of mind, they would be
able to support themselves in some measure : when alas ! they
will have no resolution, no courage at all. However they shall
have prepared themselves, and collected their strength ; yet as
soon as they shall begin to feel that wrath, their hearts will
melt and be as water. However they may seem to harden
their hearts, in order to prepare themselves to bear, yet the
first moment they feel it, their hearts will become like wax
before the furnace. — Their courage and resolution will be all
gone in an instant ; it will vanish away like a shadow in the
twinkling of an eye. The stoutest and most sturdy will have
no more courage than the feeblest infant : let a man be an in-
fant, or a giant, it will be all one. They will not be able to
keep alive any courage, any strength, any comfort, any hope at
all. — I come now as was proposed,
A'. To answer an inquiry which may naturally be raised
concerning these things.
Inq. Some may be ready to say. If this be the case, if
impenitent sinners can neither shun future punishment, nor
deliver themselves from it, nor bear it ; then what will become
of them ?
Ans. They will wholly sink down into eternal death. —
There will be that sinking of heart, of which we now cannot
conceive. Wc see how it is with the body when in extreme
pain. The nature of the body will support itself for a consi-
derable time under very great pain, so as to keep from wholly
sinking. There will be great struggles, lamentable groans and
pantings, and it may be convulsions. These are the strugglings
of nature to support itself under the extremity of the pain. —
There is, as it were, a great lothness in nature to yield to it :
it cannot bear wholly to sink.
But yet sometimes pain of body is so very exquisite, that
the nature of the body cannot support itself under it ; however
loth it may be to sink, yet it cannot bear the pain : there are
SER. X. Future Punishmetit unavoidable. 9.9
a few struggles, and throes, and pantings, and it may be a
shriek or two, and then nature yields to the violence of the
torments, sinks down, and the body dies. This is the death of
the body. So it will be with the soul in hell ; it will have no
strength or power to deliver itself; and its torment and horror
will be so great, so mighty, so vastly disproportioned to its
strength, that having no strength in the least to support itself,
although it be infinitely contrary to the nature and inclination
of the soul utterly to sink ; yet it will utterly and totally sink,
without the least degree of remaining comfort, or strength, or
courage, or hope. And though it will never be annihilated,
its being and perception will never be abolished ; yet such will
be the infinite depth of gloominess into which it will sink, that
it will be in a state of death, eternal death.
The nature of man desires happiness ; it is the nature of
the soul to crave and thirst after well-being: and if it be under
misery, it eagerly pants after relief ; and the greater the misery
is, the more eagerly doth it struggle for help. But if all relief
be withholden, all strength overborne, all support utterly gone ;
then it sinks into the darkness of death.
We can conceive but little of the matter ; but to help
your conception, imagine yourself to be cast into a fiery oven,
or a great furnace, where your pain would be as much greater
than that occasioned by accidentally touching a coal of fire, as
the heat is greater. Imagine also that your body were to lie
there for a quarter of an hour, full of fire, and all the while full
of quick sense ; what horror would you feel at the entrance of
such a furnace ! and how long would that quarter of an hour
seem to you ! And after you had endured it for one minute, how
overbearing would it be to you to think that you had to endure
it the other fourteen!
But what would be the effect on your soul, if you knew
you must lie there enduring that torment to the full for twenty-
four hours ! And how much greater would be the effect, if
you knew you must endure it for a whole year ; and how vastly
greater still, if you knew you must endure it for a thousand
years ! — O then, how would your hearts sink, if you knew, that
you must bear it for ever and ever ! that there would be no
end ! that after millions of millions of ages, your torment would
be no nearer to an end, and that you never, never should be
delivered !
But your torment in hell will be immensely greater than
this illustration represents. How then will the heart of a poor
creature sink under it ! How utterly inexpressible and incon-
ceivable must the sinking of the soul be in such a case !
This is the death threatened in the law. This is dying in
the highest sense of the word. This is to die sensibly ; to die
and know it-, to be sensible of the gloom of death. This is to
100 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
be undone ; this is worthy of the name of destruction. This
sinking of the soul under an infinite weight, which it cannot
bear, is the gloom of hell. We read in scripture of the black-
ness of darkness ; this is it, this is the very thing. We read in
scripture of sinners being lost, and of their losing their souls ;
this is the thing intended ; this is to lose the soul : they that
are the subjects of this are utterly lost.
APPLICATION.
This subject may be applied in an use of awakening to
impenitent sinners. — What hath been said under this doctrine
is for thee, O impenitent sinner, O poor wretch, who art in the
same miserable state in which thou camest into the world, ex-
cepting that thou art loaded with vastly greater guilt by thine
actual sins. These dreadful things which thou hast heard are
for thee, who art yet unconverted, and still remainest an alien
and stranger, v/ithout Christ and without God in the world.
They are for thee, v/ho to this day remainest an enemy to God,
and a child of the devil, even in this remarkable season, when
others both here and elsewhere, far and near, are flocking to
Christ ; for thee who hearest the fame of these things, but
knowest nothing of the power of godliness in thine own heart.
Whoever thou art, whether young or old, little or great, if
thou art in a Christless unconverted state, this is the wrath, this
is the death to which thou art condemned. This is the wrath
that abideth on thee ; this is the hell over which thou hangest,
and into which thou art ready to drop every day and every
night.
If thou shalt remain blind, and hard, and dead in sin a little
longer, this destruction will come upon thee : God hath spoken,
and he will do it. It is in vain for thee to flatter thyself with
hopes that thou shalt avoid it, or to say in thine heart, perhaps
it will not be ; perhaps things have been represented worse
than they are. If thou wilt not be convinced by the word
preached to thee by men in the name of God, God himself will
undertake to convince thee. Ezek. xiv. 4, 7, 8.
Doth it seem to thee not real that thou shalt suffer such a
dreadful destruction, because it seems to thee that thou dost
not deserve it? and because thou dost not see any thing so
horrid in thyself, as to answer such a dreadful punishment ? —
Why is it that thy wickedness doth not seem bad enough to
deserve this punishment ? The reason is, that thou lovest thy
wickedness ; thy wickedness seems good to thee ; it appears
lovely to thee ; thou dost not see any such hatefulness in it as
to answer such misery.
But know, thou stupid, blind, hardened wretch, that God
doth not see, as thou seest with thy polluted eyes : thy sins in
I
SER. X. Future Punishment unavoidable, 101
his sight are infinitely abominable. Thou knowest that thou
hast a thousand and a thousand times made light of the majesty
of God. And why should not that majesty, which thou bast thus
despised, be manifested in the greatness of thy punishment ? —
Thou hast often heard what a great and dreadful God Jehovah
is : but thou hast made so light of it, that thou hast not been
afraid of him, thou hast not been afraid to sin against him, nor to
go on day after day, by thy sins, to provoke him to wrath, nor
to cast his commands under foot, and trample on them. Now,
why may not God, in the greatness of thy destruction, justly
vindicate and manifest the greatness of that majesty which thou
hast despised ?
Thou hast despised the mighty power of God ; thou hast
not been afraid of it. Now, why is it not fit that God should
show the greatness of his power in thy ruin. What king is there
who will not show his authority in the punishment of those sub-
jects that despise it ! and who will not vindicate his royal ma-
jesty in executing vengeance on those that rise in rebellion?
And art thou such a fool as to think that the great King of hea-
ven and earth, before whom all other kings are so many grass-
hoppers, will not vindicate his kingly majesty on such contempt-
uous rebels as thou art ! Thou art very much mistaken if thou
thinkest so. If thou be regardless of God's majesty, be it known
to thee, God is not regardless of his own majesty ; he taketh
care of its honour, and he will vindicate it.
Think it not strange, that God should deal so severely with
thee, or that the wrath which thou shalt suffer should be so
great. For, as great as it is, it is no greater than that love of
God which thou hast despised. The love of God, and his
grace, condescension, and pity to simiers, in sending his Son
into the world to die for them, is ever) whit as great and won-
derful as this inexpressible wrath. This mercy hath been held
forth to thee, and described in its wonderful greatness hundreds
of times, and as often hath it been offered to thee ; but thou
wouldst not accept Christ ; thou wouldst not have this great
love of God ; thou despisedst God's dying love ; thou trampledst
the benefits of it under foot. Now why shouldst not thou have
wrath, as great as that love and mercy which thou despisest and
rejectest? Doth it seem incredible to thee that God should so
harden his heart against a poor sinner, as to destroy him, and to
bear him down with infinite power and merciless wrath ? and is
this a greater thing than it is for thee to harden thy heart, as
thou hast done, against infinite mercy, and against the dying love
of God ?
Doth it seem to thee incredible, that God should be so
utterly regardless of the sinner's welfare, as to sink him into
an infinite abyss of misery ? Is this shocking to thee ? And is
it not at all shocking to thee, that thou shouldst be so utterly
102 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
regardless as thou hast been of the honour and glory of the in-
finite God ?
It arises from thy stupidity, and because thou hast a heart
of stone, that thou art so senseless of thine own wickedness, as
to think that thou hast not deserved such a punishment, and
that it is to thee incredible that it will be inflicted upon thee.
But if, when all is said and done, thou be not convinced, wait
but a little while, and thou wilt be convinced : God will under-
take to do the work which ministers cannot do. Though judg-
ment against thy evil works be not yet executed, and God now
Jet thee alone, yet he will soon come upon thee with his great
power, and then thou shalt know what God is, and what thou art.
Flatter not thyself, that if these things shall prove true,
and the worst shall come, thou wilt set thyself to bear it as well
as thou canst. What will it signify, to set thyself to bear
and to collect thy strength to support thyself, when thou sbalt
fall into the hands of that omnipotent King, Jehovah ? He that
made thee, can make his sword approach unto thee. His sword
is not the sword of man, nor is his wrath the wrath of man.
If it were, possibly stoutness might be maintained under it.
But it is the fierceness of the wrath of the great God, who is
able to baffle and dissipate all thy strength in a moment. He
can fill thy poor soul with an ocean of wrath, a deluge of fire
and brimstone ; or he can make it ten thousand times fuller of
torment than ever an oven was full of fire ; and, at the same
time, can fill it with despair of ever seeing any end to its tor-
ment, or any rest from its misery : and then where will be thy
strength ? what will become of thy courage ? what will signify
thine attempts to bear ?
What art thou in the hands of the great God, who made
heaven and earth by speaking a word ? What art thou, when
dealt with by that strength, which manages all this vast universe.
holds the globe of the earth, directs all the motions of the hea-
venly bodies from age to age, and, when the fixed time shall
come, will shake all to pieces ? There are other wicked beings
a thousand times stronger than thou: there are strong and
proud spirits of gigantic stoutness and hardiness. But how
little are they in the hands of the great God ! they are less
than weak infants ; they are nothing, and less than nothing in
the hands of an angry God, as will appear at the day of judg-
ment. Their hearts will be broken ; they will sink ; they will
have no strength nor courage left ; they will be as weak as
water ; their souls will sink down into an infinite gloom, an
abyss of death and despair. Then what will become of thee,
a poor worm, when thou shalt fall into the hands of that God,
when he shall come to show his wrath, and make his power
known on thee ?
SER. X. Future Punishment unavoidable, 103
If the strength of all the wicked men on earth, and of all
the devils in hell, were united in one, and thou wert possessed
of it all; and if the courage, greatness, and stoutness of all their
hearts were united in thy single heart, thou wouldst be nothing
in the hands of Jehovah. If it were all collected, and thou
shouldst set thyself to bear as well as thou couldst, all would
sink under his great wrath in an instant, and would be utterly
abolished : thine hands would drop down at once, and thine
heart would melt as wax. The great mountains, the firm rocks,
cannot stand before the power of God. He can tear the earth
in pieces in a moment ; yea, he can shatter the whole universe,
and dash it to pieces at one blow. How then will thine hands
be strong, or thine heart endure !
Thou canst not stand before a lion of the forest ; an angry
wild beast, if stirred up, will easily tear such an one as thou art
in pieces. Yea not only so, but thou art crushed before the
moth. A little thing, a little worm or spider, or some such
insect, is able to kill thee. What then canst thou do in the
hands of God ! it is vain to set the briars and thorns in battle-
array against glowing flames ; the points of thorns, though sharp,
do nothing to withstand the fire.
Some of you have seen buildings on fire ; imagine therefore
with yourselves, what a poor hand you would make at fighting
with the flames, if you were in the midst of so great and fierce
a fire. You have often seen a spider, or some other noisome
insect, when thrown into the midst of a fierce fire, and have
observed how immediately it yields to the force of the flames.
There is no long struggle, no fighting against the fire, no
strength exerted to oppose the heat, or to fly from it ; but it
immediately stretches forth itself and yields ; and the fire takes
possession of it, and at once it becomes full of fire. Here is
a little image of what you will be in hell, except you repent
and fly to Christ. To encourage yourselves, that you will set
yourselves to bear hell-torments as well as you can, is just
as if a worm, that is about to be thrown into a glowing furnace,
should swell and fortify itself, and prepare itself to fight the
flames.
What can you do with lightnings ? What doth it signify-
to fight with them ? What an absurd figure would a poor weak
man make, who in a thunder storm should expect a flash of
lightning on his head or his breast, and should go forth sword in
hand to oppose it ; when a flash would in an instant drink up
all his spirits and his life, and melt his sword !
Consider these things, all you enemies of God, and re-
jecters of Christ, whether you be old men and women, Christ-
less heads of families, or young people and wicked children.
Be assured, that if you do not hearken and repent, God intends
to show his wrath, and make his power known upon you. He
104 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
intends to magnify himself exceedingly in sinking you down in
hell. He intends to show his great majesty at the day of judg-
ment, before a vast assembly, in your misery ; before a greater
assembly many thousand-fold than ever yet appeared upon
earth ; before a vast assembly of saints, and a vast assembly of
wicked men, a vast assembly of holy angels, and before all the
crew of devils. God will before all these get himself honour
in your destruction ; you shall be tormented in the presence of
them all. Then all will see that God is a great God indeed ;
then all will see how dreadful a thing it is to sin against such
a God, and to reject such a Saviour, such love and grace, as
you have rejected and despised. All will be filled with awe at
the great sight, and all the saints and angels will look upon you,
and adore that majesty, that mighty power, and that holiness and
justice of God, which shall appear in your ineffable destruction
and misery.
It is probable that some who hear me, are at this very
moment unawakened, and are in a great degree careless about
their souls. 1 fear there are some among us who are most
fearfully hardened : their hearts are harder than the very rocks.
It is easier to make impressions upon an adamant than upon
their hearts. 1 suppose some of you have heard all that 1 have
said with ease and quietness : it appears to you as great
sounding words, but doth not reach your hearts. You have
heard such things many times : You have been too much used
to the roaring of heaven's cannon to be frightened at it. It
will therefore probably be in vain for me to say any thing
further to you ; I will only put you in mind that ere long God
will deal with you. 1 cannot deal with you, you despise
what I say ; I have no power to make you sensible of your
danger and misery, and of the dreadfulness of the wrath of
God. The attempts of men in this way have often proved vain.
However, God hath undertaken to deal with such men
as you are. It is his manner commonly first to let men try
their utmost strength ; particularly to let ministers try, that
thus he may show ministers their own weakness and impotency ;
and when they have done what tney can, and all fails, then God
takes the matter into his own hands. So it seems by your ob-
stinacy, as if God intended to undertake to deal with you. He
will undertake to subdue you ; he will see, if he cannot cure
you of yotir fpnsoVssness aiid regardlessness of hi» threatenings.
And you will be convinced ; you will be subdued effectually ;
your strength will be utterly broken, your courage and hope
will sink. God will surely break those who will not bow.
Having girded himself with his power and wrath, he hath
heretofore undertaken to deal with many hard stubborn, sense-
less, obstinate hearts 5 and he never failed, he always did his
work thoroughly.
SER. X. Future punishment unavoidable. lOo
It will not be long before you will be wonderfully changed.
You who now hear of hell and the wrath of the great God, and
sit here so easy and quiet, and go away so careless ; by and by
will shake, and tremble, and cry out, and shriek, and gnash
your teeth, and will be thoroughly convinced of the vast weight
and importance of these things which you now despise.
Vol, VL m
8ERMON XI.
THE ETERNITY OF HELL TORMENTS.
Matt. xxv. 46.
Thest shall go azoay into everlasting punishment.
In this chapter we have the most particular description of
the day of judgment of any in the whole Bible. Christ here
declares, that when he shall hereafter sit on the throne of his
glory, the righteous and the wicked shall be set before him,
and separated one from the other, as a shepherd divideth his
sheep from the goats. Then we have an account how both
will be judged according to their works ; how the good works of
the one and the evil works of the other will be rehearsed, and *
how the sentence shall be pronounced accordingly. We are told
what the sentence will be on each, and then we have an account
of the execution of the sentence on both. In the words of the
text is the account of the execution of the sentence on the wicked
or the ungodly: concerning which, it is to my purpose to observe
two things.
1. The duration of the punishment on which they are here
said to enter : it is called everlasting punishment.
2. The time of their entrance on this everlasting punish-
ment ; viz. after the day of judgment, when all these things that
are of a temporary continuance shall have come to an end, and
even those of them that are most lasting^ — the frame of the world
itself; the earth which is said to abide for ever ; the ancient
mountains and everlasting hills ; the sun, moon, and stars.
When the heavens shall have waxed old like a garment, and as
a vesture shall be changed, then shall be the time when the
wicked shall enter on their punishment.
' Datea, April 1739.
■nEr. XI. The Elernily of Hell Torments. 107
Doctrine, — The misery of the wicked in hell will be
absolutely eternal.
There are two opinions which I mean to oppose in this
doctrine. One is, That the eternal death with which wicked
men are threatened in scripture, signifies no more than eternal
annihilation ; that God will punish their wickedness by eternally
abolishing their being.
The other opinion which I mean to oppose, is, That though
the punishment of the wicked shall consist in sensible misery,
yet it shall not be absolutely eternal ; but only of a very long
continuance.
Therefore, to establish the doctrine in opposition to these
different opinions, I shall undertake to show,
I. That it is not contrary to the divine perfections, to
inflict on wicked men a punishment that is absolutely
eternal.
II. That the eternal death which God threatens, is
not annihilation, but an abiding, sensible punishment or
misery.
III. That this misery will not only continue for a very
long time, but will be absolutely without end.
IV. That various good ends will be obtained by the eternal
punishment of the wicked.
I. I am to show that it is not contrary to the divine per-
fections, to inflict on wicked men a punishment that is absolutely
eternal.
This is the sum of the objections usually made against this
doctrine. That it is inconsistent with the justice, and especially
with the mercy of God. And some say, if it be strictly just
yet how can we suppose that a merciful God can bear eternally
to torment his creatures.
I . I shall briefly show, That it is not inconsistent with
the justice of God to inflict an eternal punishment. To evince
this, I shall use only one argument, viz. that sin is heinous
enough to deserve such a punishment, and such a punishment
is no more than proportionable to the evil or demerit of sin. If
the evil of sin be infinite, as the punishment is, then it is
manifest that the punishment is no more than proportionable to
the sin punished, and is no more than sin deserves. And if the
obligation to love, honour, and obey God be infinite, then sin,
which is the violation of this obligation, is a violation of infinite
obligation, and so is an infinite evil. Again, if God be infinitely
worthy of love, honour and obedience, then our obligation
to love, and honour, and obey him, is infinitely great. — So that
God being infinitely glorious, or infinitely worthy of our love,
108 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
honour, and obedience ; our obligation to love, honour, and
obey him, and so to avoid all sin, is infinitely great. Again, ouv
obligation to love, honour and obey God, being infinitely great,
sin is the violation of infinite obligation, and so is an infinite
evil. Once more, sin being an infinite evil, deserves an infinite
punishment, an infinite punishment is no more than it deserves ;
Therefore such punishment is just ; which was the thing to be
' proved. There is no evading the force of this reasoning, but
by denying that God, the sovereign of the universe, is infinitely
glorious : which I presume none of my hearers will venture
to do.
2. I am to show, That it is not inconsistent with the^mercy
of God, to inflict an eternal punishment on wicked men. It
is an unreasonable and unscriptural notion of the mercy of God,
that he is merciful in such a sense that he cannot bear that
penal justice should be executed. This is to conceive of the
mercy of God as a passion to which his nature is so subject
that God is liable to be moved, and aflfected, and overcome
by seeing a creature in misery, so that he cannot bear to see
justice executed : which is a most unworthy and absurd notion
of the mercy of God, and would, if true, argue great weakness.
It would be a great defect, and not a perfection, in the sove-
reign and supreme Judge of the world, to be merciful in such a
sense that he could not bear to have penal justice executed.
It is a very unscriptural notion of the mercy of God. The
scriptures every where represent the mercy of God as free and
sovereign, and not that the exercises of it are necessary, so that
God cannot bear justice should take place. The scriptures
abundantly speak of it as the glory of the divine attribute of
mercy, that it is free and sovereign in its exercises ; and not that
God cannot but deliver sinners from misery. This is a mean
and most unworthy idea of the divine mercy.
It is most absurd also, as it is contrary to plain fact. For
if there be any meaning in the objection, this is supposed in
it, that all misery of the creature, whether just or unjust, is
in itself contrary to the nature of God. For if his mercy be
of such a nature, that a very great degree of misery, though
just, is contrary to his nature ; then it is only to add to the
mercy, and then a less degree of misery is contrary to his nature ;
again to add further to it, and a still less degree of misery is
contrary to his nature. And so the mercy of God being infi-
nite, all misery must be contrary to his nature ; which we see
to be contrary to fact : for we see that God in his providence,
doth indeed inflict very great calamities on mankind even in
this life.
However strong such kind of objections against the eternal
misery of the wicked, may seem to the carnal, senseless
hearts of men, as though it were against God's justice and
SER. xr. The Eternity of Hell Torments. 109
mercy ; yet their seeming strength arises from a want of sense
of the infinite evil, odiousness, and provocation there is in sin.
Hence it seems to us not suitable, that any poor creature should
be the subject of such misery, because we have no sense of any
thing abominable and provoking in any creature answerable to
it. If we had, then this infinite calamity would not seem un-
suitable. For one thing would but appear answerable and pro-
portionable to another, and so the mind would rest in it as fit
and suitable, and no more than what is proper to be ordered by
the just, holy, and good Governor of the world.
That this is so, we may be convinced by this consideration,
viz. that when we hear, or read of some horrid instances of
cruelty, it may be to some poor innocent child, or some holy
martyr — and their cruel persecutors, having no regard to their
shrieks and cries, only sported themselves with their misery,
and would not vouchsafe even to put an end to their lives — we
have a sense of the evil of them and they make a deep im-
pression on our minds. Hence is seems just, every way fit and
suitable, that God should inflict a very terrible punishment on
persons who have perpetrated such wickedness. It seems no
way disagreeable to any perfection of the Judge of the world ;
we can think of it without being at all shocked. The reason
is, that we have a sense of the evil of their conduct, and a sense
of the proportion there is between the evil or demerit, and the
punishment.
Just so, if we saw a proportion between the evil of sin
and eternal punishment, if we saw something in wicked men \
that should appear as hateful to us, as eternal misery appears i
dreadful ; something that should as much stir up indignation
and detestation, as eternal misery does terror ; all objections
against this doctrine would vanish at once. Though now it
seem incredible ; though when we hear of it, and are so often
told of it, we know not how to realize it ; though when we hear
of such a degree and duration of torments, as are held forth in
this doctrine, and think what eternity is, it is ready to seem
impossible, that such torments should be inflicted on poor
feeble creatures by a Creator of infinite mercy ; yet this arises
principally from these two causes. (1.) It is so contrary to
the depraved inclinations of mankind, that they hate to believe
it, and cannot bear it should be true. (2.) They see not the
suitableness of eternal punishment to the evil of sin ; they see
not that it is no more than proportionable to the demerit of sin.
Having thus shown, that the eternal punishment of the
wicked is not inconsistent with the divine perfections, I shall
now proceed to show, that it is so far from being inconsistent
with the divine perfections, that those perfections evidently
require it ; i. e. they require that sin should have so great a
punishments either in the person who has committed it, or in a
110 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
surety ; and therefore with respect to those who believe not in
the surety, and have no interest in him, the divine perfections
require that this punishment should be inflicted on them.
This appears, as it is not only not unsuitable that sin should
be thus punished ; but it is positively suitable, decent, and pro-
per. If this be made to appear, that it is positively suitable
that sin should be thus punished, then it will follow, that the
perfections of God require it; for certainly the perfections of
God require what is proper to be done. The perfection and
excellency of God require, that to take place which is perfect,
excellent, and proper in its own nature. But that sin should
be punished eternally, is such a thing, which appears by the
following considerations.
1. It is suitable that God should infinitely hate sin, and
be an infinite enemy to it. Sin, as I have before shown, is an
infinite evil, and, therefore, is infinitely odious and detestable.
It is proper that God should hate every evil, and hate it ac-
cording to its odious and detestable nature. And sin being
infinitely evil and odious, it is proper that God should hate it
infinitely.
2. If infinite hatred of sin be suitable to the divii e cha-
racter, then the expressions of such hatred are also suitable to
his character. Because, that which is suitable to be, is suita-
ble to be expressed : that which is lovely in itself, is lovely
when it appears. If it be suitable that God should be an infi-
nite enemy to sin, or that he should hate it infinitely, then it is
suitable that he should act as such an enemy. If it be suitable
that he should hate and have enmity against sin, then it is suit-
able for him to express that liatred and enmity in that to which
hatred and enmity by its own nature tends. But certainly
hatred, in its own nature, tends to opposition, and to set itself
against that which is hated, and to procure its evil and not its
good : and that in proportion to the hatred. Great hatred na-
turally tends to the great evil, and infinite hatred to the infinite
evil of its object.
Whence it follows, that if it be suitable that there should
be infinite hatred of sin in God, as I have shown it is, it is
suitable that he should execute an infinite punishment on it ;
and so the perfections of God require that he should punish
sin with an infinite, or which is the same thing, with an eternal
punishment.
Thus we see not only the great objection against this
doctrine answered, but the truth of the doctrine established by
reason. I now proceed further to establish it by considering
the remaining particulars under the doctrine.
II, That eternal death or punishment which God threatens
to the wicked, is not annihilation, but an abiding, sensible
SER. XI. 2%e Eternity of Hell Torments, 111
punishnifint or misery. — The truth of this proposition will ap-
pear by the following particulars.
1. The scripture every where represents the punishment
of the wicked, as implying very extreme pains and sufferings ;
but a state of annihilation is no state of suffering at all. Per-
sons annihilated have no sense or feeling of pain or pleasure,
and much less do they feel that punishinent which carries in it
an extreme pain or suffering. They no more suffer to eternity
than they did suffer from eternity.
2. It is agreeable both to scripture and reason to suppose,
that the wicked will be punished in such a manner, that they
shall be sensible of the punishment they are under; that they
should be sensible that now God has executed and fulfilled
what he threatened, what they disregarded, riad would not be-
lieve. They should know themselves that justice takes place
upon them ; that God vindicates that majesty which they des-
pised ; that God is not so despicable a being as they thought
him to be. They should be sensible for what they are punished,
while they are under the threatened punishment. It is reason-
able that they should be sensible of their own guilt, and should
remember their former opportunities and obligations, and should
see their own folly and God's justice. — If the punishment
threatened be eternal annihilation, they will never know that it
is inflicted; they will never know that God is just in their
punishment, or that they have their deserts. And how is this
agreeable to the scriptures, in which God threatens, that he will
repay the wicked to his face ^ Deut. vii. 10. And to that in
Job xxi. 19, 20. " God rewardeth him, and he shall know it;
his eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the
wrath of the Almighty." And to that in Ezekiel xxii. 21, 22.
" Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my
wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof. As silver
is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in
the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the Lord have
poured out my fury upon you." — And how is it agreeable to
that expression so often annexed to the threatenings of God's
wrath against wicked men, And ye shall know that I am the
Lord !
3. The scripture teaches, that the wicked will suffer
different degrees of torment, according to the different aggra-
vations of their sins. Matt. v. 22. " Whosoever is angry
with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the
judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall
be in danger of the council : but whosoever shall say, Thou
fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Here Christ teaches us,
that the torments of wicked men will be different in different
persons, according to the different degrees of their guilt. — It
shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, for Tyre
112 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJEGIS.
and Sidon, than for the cities where most of Christ's mighty
works were wrought. — Again, our Lord assures us, That he
that knoweth his Lord's will, and prepareth not himself, nor
doth according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knoweth not, and committeth things worthy of
stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. — These several pas-
sages of scripture infallibly prove, that there will be different
degrees of punishment in hell; which is utterly inconsistent
with the supposition, that the punishment consists in annihila-
tion, in which there can be no degrees,
4. The scriptures are very express and abundant in this
matter, That the eternal punishment of the wicked will con-
sist in sensible misery and torment, and not in annihilation. —
What is said of Judas is worthy to be observed here : " It
had been good for that man if he had not been born ;" Matt.
xxvi. 24. — This seems plainly to teach us, that the punishment
of the wicked is such that their existence, upon the whole, is
worse than non-existence- But if their punishment consists
merely in annihilation, this is not true. — The v/icked, in their
punishment, are said to weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth /
which implies not only real existence, but life, knowledge, and
activity, and that they are in a very sensible and exquisite
manner atlected with their punishment. — Isaiah xxxiii. 14. Sin-
ners in the state of their punishment are represented to dwell
with everlasting burnings. But if they are only turned into
nothing, where is the foundation for this representation ? It is
absurd to say, that sinners will dwell with annihilation ; for
there is no dwelling in the case. It is also absurd to call anni-
hilation a burning, which implies a state of existence sen-
sibility, and extreme pain; whereas in annihilation there is
neither.
It is said that they shall be cast into a lake of tire and
brimstone. How can this expression with any propriety be
understood to mean a state of annihilation ? Yea, they are
expressly said to have no rest day nor night, but to be tor-
mented with tire and brimstone for ever and ever. Rev. xx. 10.
But annihilation is a state of rest, a state in which not the least
torment can possibly be s offered. The rich man in hell lifted
up his eyes being in torment, and saw Abraham afar off, and
Lazarus in his bosom, and entered into a particular conversa-
tion with Abraham ; all which proves that he was not anni-
hilated.
The spirits of ungodly men before the resurrection are
not in a state of annihilation, but in a state of misery ; they are
spirits in prison, as the apostle saith of them that were drowned
in the flood, 1 Pet. iii. 19. — And this appears very plainly from
the instance of the rich man before mentioned, if we consider
him as representing the wicked in their separate state, between
SER. XI. The ^ternity of Hell Torments. 1 1 3
death and the resurrection. But if the wicked even then, are
in a state of torment, much more will they be, when they shall
come to suffer that which is the proper punishment of their
sins.
Annihilation is not so great a calamity but that some men
have undoubtedly chosen it, rather than a state of of suffering
even in this life. This was the case of Job, a good man. But
if a good man in this world may suffer that which is worse than
annihilation, doubtless the proper punishment of the wicked,
in which God means to manifest his peculiar abhorrence of
their wickedness, will be a calamity vastly greater still ; and
therefore cannot be annihilation. That must be a very mean
and contemptible testimony of God's wrath towards those who
have rebelled against his crown and dignity — broken his laws,
and despised both his vengeance and his grace — which is not so
great a calamity as some of his true children have suffered in
life.
The eternal punishment of the wicked is said to be the
second deaths as Rev. xx. 14. and xxi. 8. It is doubtless called
the second death in reference to the death of the body ; and as
the death of the body is ordinarily attended with great pain
and distress, so the like, or something vastly greater, is imphed
in caUing the eternal punishment of the wicked the second
death; and there would be no propriety in calling it so, if it
consisted merely in annihilation. And this second death wicked
men will suffer ; for it cannot be called the second death with
respect to any other than men ; it cannot be called so with res-
pect to devils, as they die no temporal death, which is the first
death. In Rev. ii. 11. it is said, " He that overcometh, shall
not be hurt of the second death ;" implying, that all who do
not overcome their lusts, but live in sin, shall suffer the second
death.
Again, wicked men will suffer the same kind of death
with the devils ; as in verse 25th of the context, " Depart, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels." Now the punishment of the devil is not annihilation,
but torment : he therefore trembles for fear of it ; not for fear
of being annihilated, — he would be glad of that. What he is
afraid of is torment, as appears by Luke viii. 28. where he
cries out, and beseeches Christ that he would not torment him
before the time. And it is said, Rev. xx. 10. " The devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tor-
mented day and night for ever and ever."
It is strange how men will go directly against so plain and
full revelations of scripture, as to suppose, notwithstanding all
these things, that the eternal punishment threatened against the
wicked, signifies no more than annihilation.
Vol. VI, 1 5
114 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS.SUBJECTS.
III. As the future punishment of the wicked consists lu
sensible misery; so it shall not only continue for a very long
time, but shall be absolutely without end.
Of those who have held that the torments of hell are not
absolutely eternal, there have been two sorts. Some suppose,
that in the threatenings of everlasting punishment, the terms
used do not necessarily import a proper eternity, but only a
very long duration. Others suppose, that if they do import a
proper eternity, yet we cannot necessarily conclude thence,
that God will fulfil his threatenings. Therefore I shall,
First, Show that the threatenings of eternal punishment
do very plainly and fully import a proper, absolute eternity,
and not merely a long duration. — This appears,
1 . Because when the scripture speaks of the wicked being
sentenced to their punishment at the time when all temporal
things are come to an end, it then speaks of it as everlastings
as in the text, and elsewhere. It is true, that the term for
ever is not always in scripture used to signify eternity. Some-
times it means as long as a man liveth. In this sense it is said,
that the Hebrew servant, who chose to abide with his master,
should have his ear bored, and should serve his master for
ever. Sometimes it means, during the continuance of the state
and church of the Jews. In this sense, several laws, which
w^ere peculiar to that church, and were to continue in force no
longer than that church should last, are called statutes for ever.
Sec Exodus xxvii. 21. xxviii. 43, &c. Sometimes it means as
long as the world stands. So in Eccles. i. 4. " One generation
passeth away, and another generation cometh ; but the earth
abideth for ever.''
And this last is the longest temporal duration that such
a term is ever used to signify. For the duration of the world
is the longest of things temporal, as its beginning was the
earliest. Therefore, when the scripture speaks of things as
being before the foundation of the world, it means that they
existed before the beginning of time. So those things which
continue after the end of the world, are eternal things. When
heaven and earth are shaken and removed, those things that
remain will be what cannot be shaken, but will remain for ever,
Heb. xii. 26, 27.
But the punishment of the wicked will not only remain
after the end of the world, but is called everlasting, as in the
text, " These shall go away into everlasting punishment." So
in 2 Thess. i. 9, 10. " Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his saints,"
&c. — Now, what can be meant by a thing being everlasting
after all temporal things are come to an end, but that it is ab-
solutely without end 1
8ER. XI. The Eternity of Hell Torments. ilb
2. Such expressions are used to set forth the duration of
the punishment of the wicked, as are never used in the scrip-
tures of the New Testament, to signify any thing but a proper
eternity. It is said, not only that the punishment shall be for
ever, butybr ever and ever. Rev. xiv. 11. " The smoke of
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. — Rev. xx. 10. ,;
" Shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever.''"' Doubt-
less, the New Testament has some expression to signify a pro- ,'
per eternity, of which it has so often occasion to speak. But
it has no higher expression than this : if this do not signify an
absolute eternity, there is none that does.
3. The scripture uses the same way of speaking to set
forth the eternity of punishment and the eternity of happiness,
yea, the eternity of God himself. Matt. xxv. 46. " These shall
go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life
eternal.^'^ The words everlasting and eternal, in the original, are
the very same. Rev. xxii. 5. "And they, (the saints) shall
reign ybr ever and ever.''"' And the scripture has no higher ex-
pression to signify the eternity of God himself, than that of his
being ybr ever and ever ^ as Rev. iv. 9. " To him who sat on
the throne, who liveth for ever and ever;" and in the 10th
verse, and in chap. v. 14, and chap. x. 6. and chap. xv. 7.
Again, the scripture expresses God's eternity by this, that
it shall he for ever, after the world is come to an end ; Psalm
cii. 26, 27. " They shall perish, but thou shalt endure : yea, all
of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou
change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the
same, and thy years shall have no end."
4. The scripture says, that wicked men shall not be deli-
vered, till they have paid the uttermost farthing of their debt:
Matt. V. 26. The last mite ; Luke x. 59 ; i. e. the utmost
that is deserved; and all mercy is excluded by this expression.
But we have shewn, that they deserve an infinite, an endless
punishment.
5. The scripture says absolutely, that their punishment
shall not have an end ; Mark ix. 44. " Where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched." Now, it will not do to say,
that the meaning is, Their worm shall live a great zohile, or that
it shall be a great while before their fire is quenched. If ever the
time comes, that their worm shall die; if ever there shall be a
quenching of the fire at all, then it is not true that their worm
dieth not, and that the fire is not quenched. For, if there be a
dying of the worm, and a quenching of the fire, let it be at
what time it will, nearer or further off, it is equally contrary to
such a negation, — it dieth not, it is not quenched. ^^
Secondly. There are others who allow, that the expressions ^S^
of the threatenings do denote a proper eternity ; but then, they
say, it doth not certainly follow, that the punishment will really
no TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
be eternal ; because, God may threaten and yet not fulfil his
threatenings. Though they allow that the threatenings arf:;
positive and peremptory, without any reserve, yet they say,
God is not obliged to fulfil absolute positive threatenings, as he
is absolute promises. Because in promises, a right is conveyed,
that the creature to whom the promises are made will claim ;
but there is no danger of the creature's claiming any right by
a threatening. Therefore, I am now to show. That what God '
has positively declared in this matter, does indeed make it cer-
tain, that it shall be as he has declared. To this end, I shall
mention two things :
1 . It is evidently contrary to the divine truth, positively to
declare any thing to be real, whether past, present, or to come,
which God at the same time knows is not so. Absolutely
threatening that any thing shall be, is the same as absolutely
declaring that it is to be. For any to suppose, that God abso-
lutely declares that any thing will 6e, which he at the same time
knows will not he, is blasphemy, if there be any such thing as
blasphemy.
Indeed, it is very true, that there is no obligation on God,
arising from the claim of the creature, as there is in promises.
They seem to reckon the wrong way, who suppose the necessity
of the execution of the threatening to arise from a proper ob-
ligation on God to the creature, to execute consequent on his
threatening. For, indeed, the certainty of the execution arises
the other way, viz. on the obligation there was on the omniscient
God, in threatening, to conform his threatening to what he
knew would be future in execution. Though, strictly speaking.
God is not properly obliged to the creature to execute because
he has threatened, yet he was obliged not absolutely to threaten,
if at the same time he knew that he should not, or would not
fulfil : because this would not have been consistent with his
truth. So that from the truth of God, there is an inviolable
connexion between positive threatenings and execution. They
who suppose that God positively declared, that he would do
contrary to what he knew would come to pass, do therein
suppose, that he absolutely threatened contrary to what he
knew to be truth. And how any one can speak contrary to what
he knows to be truth, in declaring, promising, or threatening, or
any otherway, consistently with inviolabletruth,is inconceivable.
Threatenings are significations of something ; and if they
are made consistently with truth, they are true significations,
or significations of truth, that which shall be. If absolute threat-
enings are significations of any thing, they are significations of
the futurity of the things threatened. But if the futurity of the
things threatened be not true and real, then how can the threat-
ening be a true signification ? And if God. in them, speaks con-
SER. XI. The Eternity of Hell Torments. 117
trary to what he knows, and contrary to what he intendsy how he
an speak true is inconceivable.
Absolute threatenings are a kind of jiredictions ; and
though God is not properly obliged by any claim of ours to
fulfil predictions, unless they are of the nature of promises ;
yet it certainly would be contrary to truth, to predict that such
a thing would come to pass, which he knew at the same time
would not come to pass. Threatenings are declarations of
something future, and they must be declarations of future truth,
if they are true declarations. Its being future, alters not the
case any more than if it were present. It is equally contrary to
truth, to declare contrary to v^hat at the same time is known to
be truth, whether it be of things past, present, or to come : for
all are alike to God.
Beside, we have often declarations in scripture of the
future eternal punishment of the wicked, in the proper form of
predictions, and not in the form of threatenings. So in the text,
" These shall go away into everlasting punishment.'" So in
those frequent assertions of eternal punishment in the Revelation,
some of which I have already quoted. The Revelation is a
prophecy, and is so called in the book itself; so are those de-
clarations of eternal punishment. — The like declarations we
have also in many other places of scripture.
2. The doctrine of those who teach, that it is not certain
that God will fulfil those absolute threatenings, is blasphemous
another way ; and that is, as God, according to their supposition,
was obliged to make use of di fallacy to govern the world.
They own, that it is needful that men should apprehend them-
selves liable to an eternal punishment, that they might thereby
be restrained from sin, and that God has threatened such a
punishment, for the very end that they might believe themselves
exposed to it. But what an unworthy opinion does this convey
of God and his government, of his infinite majesty, and wisdom,
and all-sufficiency ! — Beside, they suppose, that though God
has made use of such a fallacy, yet it is not such an one but
that they have detected him in it. Though God intended men
should believe it to be certain, that sinners are liable to an
eternal punishment ; yet they suppose, that they have been so
cunning as to find out that it is not certain : and so that God
had not laid his design so deep, but that such cunning men as
they can discern the cheat, and defeat the design : because they
have found out, that there is no necessary connexion between
the threatening of eternal punishment, and the execution of that
threatening.
Considering these things, is it not greatly to be wondered
at, that Archbishop Tillotson, who has made so great a figure
among the new-fashioned divines, should advance such an
opinion as this ?
li.8 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS*
Before I conclude this head, it may be proper for me
to answer an objection or two, that may arise in the minds of
some.
1. It may be here said, We have instances wherein God
hath not fulfilled his threatenings ; as his threatening to Adam,
and in him to mankind, that they should surely die, if they
should eat the forbidden fruit. I answer, it is not true that
God did not fulfil that threatening : he fulfilled it, and will
fulfil it in every jot and tittle. When God said, " Thou shalt
surely die," if we respect spiritual death, it was fulfilled in
Adam's person in the day that he ate. For immediately his
image, his holy spirit, and original righteousness, which was
the highest and best life of our first parents, were lost; and
they were immediately in a doleful state of spiritual death.
If we respect temporal death, that was also fulfilled : he
brought death upon himself and all his posterity, and he
virtually suffered that death on that very day on which he ate.
^ His body was brought into a corruptible, mortal and dying
f condition, and so it continued till it was dissolved. If we look
at all that death which was comprehended in the threatening,
it was, properly speaking, fulfilled in Christ. When God said
to Adam, If thou eatest, thou shalt die, he spake not only to
him, and of him personally : but the words respected mankind,
Adam and his race, and doubtless were so understood by him.
His ofTspring were to be looked upon as sinning in him, and so
should die with him. The words do as justly allow of an im-
putation of death as of sin ; they are as well consistent with
dying in a surety, as with sinning in one. Therefore the
threatening is fulfilled in the death of Christ, the surety.
2. Another objection may arise from God's threatening
to Nineveh. He threatened, that in forty days Nineveh should
be -destroyed, which yet he did not fulfil. — I answer, that
threatening could justly be looked upon no otherwise than as
conditional. It was of the nature oi a zucmiing, and not of an
absolute denunciation. Why was Jonah sent to the Ninevites.
but to give them warning, that they might have opportunity to
repent, reform, and avert the approaching destruction ? God
had no other design or end in sending the prophet to them, but
that they might be warned and tried by him, as God warned
the Israelites, Judah, and Jerusalem, before their destruction.
Therefore the prophets, together with their prophesies of ap-
proaching destruction, joined earnest exhortations to repent
and reform, that it might be averted.
No more could justly be understood to be certainly threat-
ened, than that Nineveh should be destroyed in forty days,
continuing as it was. For it was for their wickedness that
that destruction was threatened, and so the Ninevites took
it. Therefore, when the cause was removed, the effect
SER. XI. The Eternity of Hell Torments, 119
ceased. It was contrary to God's known manner, to threaten
punishment and destruction for sin in this world absolutely, so
that it should come upon the persons threatened unavoidably,
let them repent and reform and do what they would: Jer.
xviii. 7, 8. " At what instant 1 shall speak concerning a
nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull
down, and to destroy it ; if that nation, against whom 1 have
pronounced, turn from their evil, T will repent of the evil that
I thought to do unto them." So that all threatenings of this
nature had a condition implied in them, according to the known
had and declared manner of God's dealing. And the Ninevites
did not take it as an absolute sentence or denunciation ; if they
had, they would have despaired of any benefit by fasting and re-
formation.
But the threatenings of eternal wrath are positive and
absolute. There is nothing in the word of God from which
we can gather any condition. The only opportunity of f scaping
is in this world ; this is the only state of trial, whciein we have
any offers of mercy, or place for repentance.
TV. I shall mention several good and important ends,
which will be obtained by the eternal punishment of the wicked.
1. Hereby God vindicates his injured majesty. Wherein
sinners cast contempt upon it, and trample it in the dust,
God vindicates and honours it, and makes it appear, as it is
indeed, infinite, by showing that it is infinitely dreadful to con-
temn or offend it.
2. God glorifies his justice. — The glory of God is the
greatest good; it is that which is the chief end of the creation;
it is of greater importance than any thing else. But this is
one way wherein God will glorify himself, as in the eternal
destruction of ungodly men he will glorify his justice. Therein
he will appear as a just governor of the world. The vindictive
justice of God will appear strict, exact, awful, and terrible, and
therefore glorious.
3. God hereby indirectly glorifies his grace on the vessels
of mercy. — The saints in heaven will behold the torments of
the damned : '" the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for
ever and ever." Isaiah Ixvi. 24. '■ And they shall go forth and
look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed
against me : for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire
be quenched ; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.''
And in Rev. xiv. 10. it is said, that they shall be tormented in
the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the
Lamb. So they will be tormented in the presence also of the
glorified saints.
Hereby the saints will be made the more sensible how
great their salvation is. When they shall see how great the
120 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTo.
misery is from which God hath saved them, and how great a
difference he hath made between their state, and the state of
others, who were by nature, and perhaps for a time by prac-
tice, no more sinful and ill-deserving than any, it will give
them a greater sense of the wonderfulness of God's grace to
them. Every time they look upon the damned, it will excite
in them a lively and admiring sense of the grace of God, in
making them so to ditfer. This the apostle informs us is one
end of the damnation of ungodly men ; Rom. ix. 22, 23. " What
if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath
fitted to destruction : and that he might make known the riches
of his glorif on the vessds of mercy ^ which he had afore prepared
unto glory ?" The view of the misery of the damned will double
the ardour of the lo.e and gratitude of the saints in heaven.
4. The sight of hell torments will exalt the happiness of
the saints for ever. It will not only make them more sensible
of the greatness and freeness of the grace of God in their
happiness; but it will really make their happiness the greater,
as it will make t'iem the more sensible of their own happiness ;
it will give them a more lively relish of it ; it will make them
prize it more. When they see others, who were of the same
nature, and born under the same circumstances, plunged in
such misery, and they so distinguished, O it will make them
sensible how happy they are- A sense of the opposite
misery in all cases, greatly increases the relish of any joy or
pleasure.
The sight of the wonderful power, the great and dreadful
majesty, and awful justice and holiness of God, manifested in
the eternal punishment of ungodly men. will make them prize
his favour and love vastly the more ; and they will be so much
the more happy in the enjoyment of it.
APPLICATION.
1. From what hath been said, we may learn the folly and
madness of the greater part of mankind, in that for the sake of
present momentary gratification, they run the venture of endur-
ing all these eternal torments. They prefer a small pleasure,
or a little wealth, or a little earthly honour and greatness, which
can last but for a moment, to an escape from this punishment.
If it be true, that the toiments of hell are eternal, what will it
profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and los>e his own soul;
or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? What is
there in this world, which is not a trifle, and lighter than vanity,
in comparison with these eternal things ?
How mad are men, who so often hear of these things, and
pretend to believe them ; who can live but a little while, a few
SER. XI. The Eternity of Hell Torments. 121
years ; who do not even expect to live here longer than others
of their species ordinarily do ; and who yet are careless about
what becomes of themselves in another world, where there is
no change and no end ! How mad are they, when they hear
that if they go on in sin, the} shall be eternally miserable,
that they are not moved by it, but hear of it with as much
carelessness and coldness, as if they were no way concerned
in the matter ; when they know not but that it may be their
case, that they may be suffering these torments before a week is
at an end !
How can men be so careless of such a matter as their
own eternal and desperate destruction and torment ! What a
strange stupor and senselessness possesses the hearts of men !
How common a thing is it to see men, who are told from sab-
bath to sabbath of eternal misery, and who are as mortal as
other men, so careless about it, that they seem not to be at
all restrained by it from whatever their souls lust after ! It is
not half so much their care to escape eternal misery, as it is
to get money and land, and to be considerable in the world, and
to gratify their senses. Their thoughts are much more exer-
cised about these things, and much more of their care and con-
cern is about them. Eternal misery, though they lie every day
exposed to it, is a thing neglected, it is but now and then thought
of, and then with a great deal of stupidity, and not with concern
enough to stir them up to do any thing considerable, in order
to escape it. They are not sensible that it is worth their while
to take any considerable pains in order to it. And if they do
take pains for a little while, they soon leave off, and something
else takes up their thoughts and concern.
■ Thus you see it among young and old. Multitudes of
youth lead a careless life, taking little care about their salva-
tion. So you may see it among persons of middle age ; and
with many advanced in years, and when they certainly draw
near to the grave. Yet these same persons will seem to ac-
knowledge, that the greater part of men go to hell, and suffer
eternal misery, and this through carelessness about it. However,
they will do the same. How strange is it, that men can enjoy
themselves, and be at rest, when they are thus hanging over eter-
nal burnings ; at the same time having no lease of their lives, and
not knowing how soon the thread by which they hang will break,
nor, indeed, do they pretend to know ; and if it breaks, they are
gone, they are lost for ever, and there is no remedy ! Yet they
trouble not themselves much about it ; nor will they hearken
to those who cry to them, and entreat them to take care for
themselves, and labour to get out of that dangerous condition :
they are not willing to take so much pains : they choose not to
be diverted from amusing themselves with toys and vanities.
Thus, well might the wise man say, Eccles. ix, 3. " The heart
Vol. VL 16
122 TWENTY SKRMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
of the sons of men is full of evil. Madness is in their heari
while they live ; and, after that, they go to the dead." How
much wiser are those few, who make it their main business to
lay a foundation for eternity, to secure their salvation !
2. I shall improve this subject in an use of exhortation
to sinners, to take care to escape these eternal torments. If
they be eternal, one would think that would be enough to
awaken your concern, and excite your diligence. If the pu-
nishment be eternal, it is infinite, as we said before ; and, there-
fore, no other evil, no death, no temporary torment, that ever
you heard of, or that you can imagine, is any thing in compari-
son with it, but is as much less and less considerable, not only
as a grain of sand is less than the whole universe, but as it is
less than the boundless space which encompasses the universe-
Therefore here,
(1.) Be entreated to consider attentively how great and
awful a thing eternity is. Although you cannot comprehend
it the more by considering, yet you may be made more sensible
that it is not a thing to be disregarded. Do but consider what
it is to suffer extreme torment for ever and ever ; to suffer it
day and night, from one year to another, from one age to ano-
ther, and from one thousand ages to another, and so adding
age to age, and thousands to thousands, in pain, in wailing and
lamenting, groaning and shrieking, and gnashing your teeth 5
with your souls full of dreadful grief and amazement, with
your bodies, and every member full of racking torture, without
any possibility of getting ease ; without any possibility of
moving God to pity by your cries ; without any possibility of
hiding yourselves from him ; without any possibility'of diverting
your thoughts irom your pain ; without any possibility of ob-
taining any manner of mitigation, or help, or change for the
better.
(2.) Do but consider how dreadful despair will be in such
torment. How dismal will it be, when you are under these
racking torments, to know assuredly that you never, never
shall be delivered from them ; to have no hope : when you
shall wish that you might but be turned into nothing, but shall
have no hope of it ; when you shall wish that you might be
turned into a toad or a serpent, but shall have no hope of it ; when
you would rejoice, if you might but have any relief, after you
shall have endured these torments millions of ages, but shall
have no hope of it. After you shall have worn out the age of
the sun, moon, and stars, in your dolorous groans and lamen-
tations, without rest day and night, or one minute's ease, yet
you shall have no hope of ever being delivered ; after you shall
have worn out a thousand more such ages, you shall have no
hope, but shall know that you are not one whit nearer to the
end of your torments ; but that still there are the same groans,
SER. XI. TheEtcrmty of Hell TormoUa. IZS
the same shrieks, the same doleful cries, incessantly to be made
by you, and that the smoke of your torment shall still ascend up
for ever and ever. Your souls, \yhich shall have been agitated
with the wrath of God all this while will still exist to bear
more wrath ; your bodies which shall have been burning all
this while in these glowing flames, shall not have been con-
sumed, but will remain to roast through eternity, which will
not have been at all shortened by what shall have been past.
You may by considering make yourselves more sensible
than you ordinarily are ; but it is a little you can conceive of
what it is to have no hope in such torments. How sinking
would it be to you, to endure such pain as you have felt in this
world, without any hopes, and to know that you never should
be dehvered from it, nor have one minute's rest! You can now
scarcely conceive how doleful that would be. How much
more to endure the vast weight of the wrath of God without
hope ! The more the damned in hell think of the eternity of
their torments, the more amazing will it appear to them : and
alas ! they will not be able to keep it out of their minds. Their
tortures will not divert them from it, but will fix their attention
to it. O how dreadful will eternity appear to them after they
shall have been thinking on it for ages together, and shall have
so long an experience of their torments ! The damned in hell
will have two infinites perpetually to amaze them, and swallow
them up ; One is an infinite God, whose wrath they will bear,
and in whom they will behold their perfect and irreconcilable
enemy. The other is the infinite duration of their torment.
If it were possible for the damned in hell to have a com-
prehensive knowledge of eternity, their sorrow and grief would
be infinite in degree. The comprehensive view of so much
sorrow, which they must endure, would cause infinite grief for
the present. Though they will not have a comprehensive
knowledge of it yet they will doubtless have a vastly more lively
and strong apprehension of it than we can have in this world.
Their torments will give them an impression of it. — A man m
his present state, without any enlargement of his capacity, would
have a vastly more lively impression of eternity than he has, if
he were only under some pretty sharp pain in some member of
his body, and were at the same time assured, that he must
endure that pain for ever. His pain would give him a greater
sense of eternity than other men have. How much more will
those excruciating torments which the damned will suffer, have
this effect !
Besides, their capacity will probably be enlarged, their
understandings will be quicker and stronger in a future state ;
and God can give them as great a sense and as strong an im-
pression of eternity, as he pleases, to increase their grief and
torment. — O be entreated, ye that are in a Christless state, and
124 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
are going on in a way to hell ; that are daily exposed to damna-
tion, to consider these things. If you do not, it will surely be
but a little while before you will experience them, and then you
will know how dreadful it is to despair in hell ; and it may be
before this year, or this month, or this week, is at an end ; before
another sabbath, or ever you shall have opportunity to hear
another sermon.
(3.) That you may effectually escape these dreadful and
eternal torments, be entreated to flee and embrace him who
came into the world for the very end of saving sinners from these
torments, who has paid the whole debt due to the divine law,
and exhausted eternal in temporal sufferings. What great en-
couragement is it to those of you who are sensible that you are
exposed to eternal punishment, that there is a Saviour provided,
who is able and who freely offers to save you from that punish-
ment, and that in a way which is perfectly consistent with the
glory of God, yea, which is more to the glory of God than it
would be if you should suffer the eternal punishment of hell.
For if you should suffer that punishment, you would never pay
the whole of the debt. Those who are sent to hell never will
have paid the whole of the debt which they owe to God, nor
indeed a part which bears any proportion to the whole. They
never will have paid a part which bears so great a proportion to
the whole, as one mite to ten thousand talents. Justice there-
fore never can be actually satisfied in your damnation ; but it is
actually satisfied in Christ. Therefore he is accepted of the
Father, and therefore all who believe are accepted and justified
in him. Therefore believe in him, come to him, commit your
souls to him to be saved by him. In him you shall be safe from
the eternal torments of hell. Nor is that all : but through him
you shall inherit inconceivable blessedness and glory, which
will be of equal duration with the torments of hell. For, as at
the last day the wicked shall go away into everlasting punish-
ment, so shall the righteous, or those who trust in Christ, go
into life tternctL
SERMON XII.*
THE PEACE WHICH CHRIST GIVES HIS TRUE FOLLOWERSo
John xiv. 27.
Peace I leave zoith you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
zoorld giveth, give I unto you.
These words are a part of a most affectionate and affecting
discourse that Christ had with his disciples the same evening
in which he was betrayed, knowing that he was to be crucified
the next day. This discourse begins with the 31st verse of
the 13th, and is continued to the end of the 16th chapter.
Christ began his discourse after he partook of the passover
with them, after he had instituted and administered the sacra-
ment of the supper, and after Judas was gone out, and none
were left but his true and faithful disciples ; whom he now
addresses as his dear children. This was the last discourse
that Christ had with them before his death. As it was his
parting discourse, and, as it were his dying discourse, so it is
on many accounts the most remarkable we have recorded in
our Bibles.
It is evident this discourse made a deep impression on the
minds of the disciples ; and we may suppose that it did so,
in a special manner, on the mind of John the beloved disciple,
whose heart was especially full of love to him, and who had
just then been leaning on his bosom. In this discourse Christ
had told his dear disciples that he was going away, which filled
them with sorrow and heaviness. The words of the text are
given to comfort them, and to relieve their sorrow. He sup-
ports them with the promise of that peace which he would
leave with them, and which they would have in him and with
him, when he was gone.
* Dated, August 1750.
126 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
This promise he delivers in three emphatical expressions
which illustrate one another. " Peace I leave with you." As
much as to say, though I am going away, yet I will not take
all comfort away with me. While I have been with you, I
have been your support and comfort, and you have had peace
in me in the midst of the losses you have sustained, and trou-
bles you have met with from this evil generation. This peace
I will not take from you, but leave it with you in a more full
possession.
"My peace I give unto you." Christ by calling it his
peace, signifies two things.
1. That it was his own^ that which he had to give. It
was the peculiar benefit that he had to bestow on his children,
now he was about to leave the world as to his human presence.
Silver and gold he had none : for, while in his state of
humiliation he was poor. The foxes had holes, and the birds
of the air had nests: but the Son of man had not where to lay
his head: Luke ix. 58. He had no earthly estate to leave to
his disciples, who were as it were his family : but he had peace
to give them.
2. It was his peace that he gave them ; as it was the
same kind of peace which he himself enjoyed. The same
excellent and divine peace which he ever tiad in God, and
which he was about to receive in his exalted state in a vastly
greater perfection and fulness : for the happiness Christ gives
to his people, is a participation of his own happiness : agree-
able to chapter xv. 11. " These things have 1 said unto you,
that my joy might remain in you." And in his prayer with
his disciples at the conclusion of this discourse, chapter xvii. 13.
" And now come I to thee, and these things I speak in the
world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves."
And verse 22. " And the glory which thou gavest me, I have
given them."
Christ here alludes to men making their wills before death.
When parents are about to leave their children by death, they
are wont in their last will and testament to give them their
estate ; that estate which they themselves were wont to possess
and enjoy. So it was with Christ when he was about to leave
the world, with respect to the peace which he gave his disciples ;
only with this difference, that earthly parents, when they die,
though they leave the same estate to their children which they
themselves heretofore enjoyed ; yet when the children come to
the full possession of it, they enjoy it no more ; the parents do
not enjoy it with their children. The time of the full possession
of parents and children is not together. Whereas with respect
to Christ's peace, he did not only possess it himself before his
death, when he bequeathed it to his disciples : but also
SER. XII. The Peace which Christ gives. 12?
afterwards more fully : so that they were received to possess it
with him.
The third and last expression is, ^' not as the world giveth,
give I unto you-'''' Wh.ch is as much as to say, my gifts and
legacies, now I am going to leave the world, are not like
those which the rich and great men of the world are wont to
leave to their heirs when they die. They bequeath to their
children their worldly possessions ; and it may be, vast treasures
of silver and gold, and sometimes an earthly kingdom. But
the thing that I give you, is my peace, a vastly different thing
from what they are wont to give, and which cannot be obtained
by all that they can bestow, or their children inherit from
them.
DOCTRINE.
That peace which Christ, when he died, left as a legacy
to all his true saints, is very different from all those things
which the men of this world bequeath to their children, when
they die.
I. Christ at his death made over the blessings of the new
covenant to believers, as it were in a will or testament.
II. A great blessing that Christ made over to believers in
this his testament was his peace.
III. This legacy of Christ is exceedingly diverse from all
that any of the men of this world ever leave to their children
when they die.
I. Christ at his death made over the blessings of the new
covenant to believers, as it were in a will or testament.
The new covenant is represented by the apostle as Christ's
last will and testament. Heb. ix. 15, 16. "And for this
cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that
were under the first testament, they which are called might
receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testa-
ment is, there must also of necessity be the death of the
testator." What men convey by their will or testament, is
their own estate. So Christ in the new covenant conveys to
believers his own inheritance, so far as they are capable of
possessing and enjoying it. They have that eternal life given
to them in their measure, v/hich Christ himself possesses.
They live in him, and with him, and by a participation of
his life. Because he lives, they live also. They inherit his
kingdom : the same kingdom which the Father appointed unto
Mm. Luke xxii, 29, "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as
128 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
my Father hath appointed unto me." They shall reign on his
throne, Rev. iii. 21. They have his glory given to them-
John xvii. And because all things are Christ's, so in Christ all
things are the saints', 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22.
Men in their wills or testaments most commonly give their
estates to their children : so believers are in scriptUkC repre-
sented as Christ's children. Heb. ii. 13. ''Behold, I, and
the children which God hath given me." Men most com-
monly make their wills a little before their death : so Christ
did, in a very special and solemn manner, make over and con-
firm to his disciples the blessings of the new covenant, on the
evening before the day of his crucifixion, in that discourse of
which my text is a part. The promises of the new covenant
were never so particularly expressed, and so solemnly given
forth by Christ in all the time that he was upon earth, as in
this discourse. Christ promises them mansions in his Father's
house, chapter xiv. 1, 2, 3. Here he promises them whatever
blessings they should need and ask in his name. Chapter xv.
7. xvi. 23, 24. Here he more solemnly and fully than any
where else, gives forth and confirms the promise of the Holy
Spirit, which is the sum of the blessings of the covenant of
grace. Chap. xiv. 18. xvii. 26. xv. 25. xvi. 7. Here he
promises them his own and his Father's gracious presence and
favour. Chapter xiv. 18. xix. 20, 21. Here he promises
them peace, as in the text. Here he promises them his joy.
Chapter xv. 1 1 . Here he promises grace to bring forth holy
fruits. Chapter XV. 16. And victory over the world. Chap-
ter xvi. 33. And indeed there seems to be no where else so
full and complete an edition of the covenant of grace in the
whole Bible, as in this dying discourse of Christ with his eleven
true disciples.
This covenant between Christ and his children is like a
will or testament also in this respect, that it becomes effectual,
and a way is made for putting it in execution no other way
than by his death ; as the apostle observes, it is with a will or
testament among men. " For a testament is of force after
men are dead." Heb. ix. 17. For though the covenant of
grace indeed was of force before the death of Christ, yet it
was of force no otherwise than by his death : so that his death
then did virtually intervene; being already undertaken and
engaged. As a man's heirs come by the legacies bequeathed
to them no otherwise than by the death of the testator, so men
come by the spiritual and eternal inheritance no otherwise than
by the death of Christ. If it had not been for the death of
Christ they never could have obtained it.
H. A great blessing that Christ in his testament hath
bequeathed to his true followers, is his peace. Here are two
&ER. xir. The Peace which Christ gives. 129
things that I would observe particularly, viz. That Christ hath
bequeathed to believers true peace ; and then, that the peace
he has given them is his peace.
1 . Our Lord Jesus Christ has bequeathed true peace and
comfort to his followers. Christ is called the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah ix. 6. And when he was born into the world, the angels
on that joyful and wonderful occasion sang, Glory to God in
the highest, on earth peace ; because of that peace which he
should procure for, and bestow on the children of men ; peace
with God, and peace one with another, and tranquillity and
peace within themselves : which last is especially the benefit
spoken of in the text. This Christ has procured for his fol-
lowers, and laid a foundation for their enjoyment of it, in that
he has procured for them the other two, viz. peace with God,
and one with another. He has procured for them peace and
reconciliation with God, and his favour and friendship 5 in that
he satisfied for their sins, and laid a foundation for the perfect
removal of the guilt of sin, and the forgiveness of all their
trespasses, and wrought out for them a perfect and glorious
righteousness, most acceptable to God, and sufficient to re-
commend them to God's full acceptance, to the adoption of
children, and to the eternal fruits of his fatherly kindness.
By these means true saints are brought into a state of
freedom from condemnation, and all the curses of the law of
God. Rom. viii. 34. " Who is he that condemneth ?" And
by these means they are safe from that dreadful and eternal
misery to which naturally they are exposed, and are set on high
out of the reach of all their enemies, so that the gates of hell
and powers of darkness can never destroy them ; nor can
wicked men, though they may persecute, ever hurt them.
Rom. viii. 31. "If God be for us, who can be against us ?"
Numb, xxiii. 8. "How shall I curse whom God hath not
cursed." Verse 23. " There is no enchantment against Jacob,
neither is there any divination against Israel." By these
means they are out of the reach of death, John vi. 4. ix. SO,
51. " This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that
a man may eat thereof and not die." By these means, death
with respect to them has lost its sting, and is no more worthy
of the name of death. 1 Cor. xv. 55. " O death, where is
thy sting ?" By these means they have no need to be afraid of
the day of judgment, when the heavens and earth shall be dis-
solved. Psalm xlvi. 1,2. " God is our refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear,
though the earth be removed : and though the mountains be
carried into the midst of the sea." Yea, a true saint has
reason to be at rest in an assurance, that nothing can separate
him from the love of God. Rom. viii. 38. 39.
Vol. VI, 17 ■
130 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Thus he that is in Christ is in a safe refuge from every thing
that might disturb him ; Isa. xxxii. 2. " And a man shall be as an
hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest :
as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great
rock in a weary land." " And hence they that dwell in Christ
have that promise fulfilled to them which we have in the 18th
verse of the same chapter : " And my people shall dwell in a
peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet rest-
ing places.*'
And the true followers of Christ have not only ground of
rest and peace of soul, by reason of their safety from evil, but
on account of their sure title and certain enjoyment of all that
good which they stand in need of, living, dying, and through
all eternity. They are on a sure foundation for happiness, are
built on a rock that can never be moved, and have a fountain
that is sufficient, and can never be exhausted. The covenant
is ordered in all things and sure, and God has passed his word
and oath, " That by two immutable things, in which it was im-
possible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who
have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us."
The infinite Jehovah is become their God, who can do every
thing for them. He is their portion who has an infinite fulness
of good in himself. " He is their shield and exceeding great
reward." As great a good is made over to them as they can
desire or conceive of ; and is made as sure as they can desire :
Therefore they have reason to put their hearts at rest, and be
at peace in their minds.
Besides, he has bequeathed peace to the souls of his peo-
ple, as he has procured for them and made over to them, the
spirit of grace and true holiness ; which has a natural tendency
to the peace and quietness of the soul. It implies a discovery
and relish of a suitable and sufficient good. It brings a person
into a view of divine beauty, and to a relish of that good which
is a man's proper happiness ; and so it brings the soul to its
true centre. The soul by this means is brought to rest, and
ceases from restlessly inquiring, as others do, who will show us
any good ; and wandering to and fro, like lost sheep seeking
rest, and finding none. The soul hath found him who is the
apple-tree among the trees of the wood, and sits down under
his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto his
taste. Cant. ii. 2. And thus that saying of Christ is fulfilled,
Johniv. 14. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst." And besides, true grace naturally
tends to peace and quietness, as it settles things in the soul in
their due order, sets reason on the throne, and subjects the
senses and affections to its government, which before were up-
permost. Grace tends to tranquillity, as it mortifies tumultu-
SEE. XII. The Peace which Christ gives, 131
ous desires and passions, subdues the eager and insatiable ap-
petites of the sensual nature and greediness after the vanities of
the world. It mortifies such principles as hatred, variance,
emulation, wrath, envyings, and the like, which are a continual
source of inward uneasiness and perturbation ; and supplies
those sweet, calming, and quieting principles of humility,
meekness, resignation, patience, gentleness, forgiveness, and
sweet rehance on God. It also tends to peace, as it fixes the
aim of the soul to a certain end ; so that the soul is no longer
distracted and drawn by opposite ends to be sought, and oppo-
site portions to be obtained, and many masters of contrary
wills and commands to be served ; but the heart is fixed in the
choice of one certain, sufficient, and unfailing good : and the
souPs aim at this, and hope of it, is like an anchor that keeps it
steadfast, that it should no more be driven to and fro by every
wind.
2. This peace which Christ has left as a legacy to his
true followers, is his peace. It is the peace which himself en-
joys. This is what I take to be principally intended in the
expression. It is the peace that he enjoyed while on earth, in
his state of humiliation. Though he was a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief, and was every where hated and
persecuted by men and devils, and had no place of rest in this
world: yet in God, his Father, he had peace. We read of
his rejoicing in spirit, Luke x. 21. So Christ's true disciples,
though in the world they have tribulation, yet in God have
peace.
When Christ had finished his labours and sufferings, had
risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, he entered into
his rest, a state of most blessed, perfect, and everlasting peace :
delivered by his own sufferings from our imputed guilt, acquit-
ted and justified of the Father on his resurrection. Having
obtained a perfect victory over all his enemies, he was received
of his Father into heaven, the rest which he had prepared for
him, there to enjoy his heart's desire fully and perfectly to all
eternity. And then were those words in the six verses of the
21st Psalm, which have respect to Christ, fulfilled. This peace
and rest of the Messiah is exceeding glorious. Isaiah xi. 10.
" And his rest shall be glorious." This rest is what Christ has
procured, not only for himself, but also his people, by his death ;
and he hath bequeathed it to them, that they may enjoy it with
him, imperfectly in this, and perfectly and eternally in another
world.
That peace, which has been described, and which be-
lievers enjoy, is a participation of the peace which their
glorious Lord and Master himself enjoys, by virtue of the same
blood by which Christ himself has entered into rest. It is in a
participation of this same justification ; for believers are Justified
132 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
with Christ. As he was justified when he rose from the dead,
and as he was made free from our guilt, which he had as our surety,
so believers are justified in him and through him; as being
accepted of God in the same righteousness. It is in the favour
of the same God and heavenly Father that they enjoy peace.
" 1 ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your
God." It is in a participation of the same spirit ; for believers
have the spirit of Christ. He had the spirit given to him not
by measure, and of his fulness do they all receive, and grace
for grace. As the oil poured on the head of Aaron went down
to the skirts of his garments, so the spirit poured on Christ,
the head, descends to all his members. It is as partaking of
the same grace of the spirit that believers enjoy this peace ;
John i. 16.
It is as being united to Christ, and living by a participation
of his life, as a branch lives by the life of the vine. It is as
partaking of the same love of God ; John xvii. 26. " That
the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them." — It
is as having a part with him in his victory over the same ene-
mies : and also as having an interest in the same kind of eternal
rest, and peace. Eph. ii. 5, 6. '• Even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. — and hath raised
us up together, and hath made us sit together in heavenly
places."
III. This legacy of Christ to his true disciples is very
different from all that the men of this world ever leave to their
children when they die. The men of this world many of them,
when they come to die, have great estates to bequeath to their
children, an abundance of the good things of this world, large
tracts of ground, perhaps in a fruitful soil, covered with flocks
and herds. They sometimes leave to their children stately
mansions, and vast treasures of silver, gold, jewels, and precious
things, fetched from both the Indies, and from every side of the
globe. They leave them wherewith to live in much state and
magnificence, and make a great show among men, to fare very
sumptuously, and swim in worldly pleasures. Some have
crowns, sceptres, and palaces, and great monarchies to leave to
their heirs. But none of these things are to be compared to that
blessed peace of Christ which he hath bequeathed to his true
followers. These things are such as God commonly in his
providence gives his worst enemies, those whom he hates and
despises most. But Christ's peace is a precious benefit, which
he reserves for his peculiar favourites. These worldly things,
even the best of them, that the men and princes of the world
leave for their children, are things which God in his providence
throws out to those whom he looks on as dogs; but Christ's
peace is the bread of his children. All these earthly things are
SER. xiio' The Peace zuhick Christ gives, 133
but empty shadows* which, however men set their hearts upon
them, are not bread, and never can satisfy their souls ; but this
peace of Christ is a truly substantial satisfying food. Isaiah
Iv. 2. None of those things, if men have them to the best
advantage, and in ever so great abundance, can give true peace
and rest to the soul, as is abundantly manifest not only in reason,
but experience ; it being found in all ages, that those who have
the most of them, have commonly the least quietness of mind.
It is true, there may be a kind of quietness, a false peace, in the
enjoyment of worldly things ; men may bless their souls, and
think themselves the only happy persons, and despise others :
may say to their souls, as the rich man did, Luke xii. 19,
" Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry." But Christ's peace, which
he gives to his true disciples, diifers from this peace that
men may have in the enjoyments of the world, in the following
respects :
1. Christ's peace is a reasonable peace and rest of soul;
it is what has its foundation in light and knowledge, in the
proper exercises of reason, and a right view of things ; whereas
the peace of the world is founded in blindness and delusion.
The peace that the people of Christ have, arises from their
having their eyes open, and seeing things as they are. The
more they consider, and the more they know of the truth and
reality of things — the more they know what is true concerning
themselves, the state and condition they are in; the more they
know of God and what manner of being he is ; the more certain
they are of another world and future judgment, and of the
truth of God's threatenings and promises ; the more their con-
sciences are awakened and enlightened, and the brighter and
the more searching the light — the more is their peace estab-
lished. Whereas, on the contrary, the peace that the men of
the world have in their worldly enjoyments can subsist no
otherwise than by their being kept in ignorance. They must be
blindfolded and deceived, otherwise they can have no peace :
do but let Hght in upon their consciences, so that they may look
about them, and see what they are, and what circumstances they
are in, and it will at once destroy all their quietness and com-
fort. Their peace can live no where but in the dark. Light
turns their ease into torment. The more they know what is
true concerning God and concerning themselves, the more they
are sensible of the truth concerning those enjoyments which
they possess : and the more they are sensible what things now
are, and what things are like to be hereafter, the more will their
calm be turned into a storm- The worldly man's peace cannot
be maintained but by avoiding consideration and reflection. If
he allows himself to think, and properly to exercise his reason,
it destroys his quietness and comfort. If he would establish his
134 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOtS SUBJECTS'.
carnal peace, it concerns him to put out the hght of his
mind, and turn beast as fast as he can. The faculty of reason,
if at liberty, proves a mortal enemy to his peace. It concerns
him, if he would keep alive his peace, to stupify his mind and
deceive himself, and to imagine things to be otherwise than they
are. But with respect to the peace which Christ gives,
reason is its great friend. The more this faculty is exercised,
the more it is established. The more they consider and view
things with truth and exactness, the firmer is their comfort
and the higher their joy. How vast a difference then is there
between the peace of a Christian and the worldhng! How
miserable are they who cannot enjoy peace any otherwise
than by hiding their eyes from the light, and confining them-
selves to darkness. Their peace is stupidity ; it is as the ease
that a man has who has taken a dose of stupifying poison,
the ease and pleasure that a drunkard may have in a house on
fire over his head, or the joy of a distracted man in thinking that
he is a king, though a miserable wretch confined in bedlam.
Whereas the peace that Christ gives his true disciples is the
light of life, something of the tranquillity of heaven, the peace
of the celestial paradise that has the glory of God to lighten it.
2. Christ's peace is a virtuous and holy peace. The peace
that the men of the world enjoy is vicious ; it is vile, depraves
and debases the mind, and makes men brutish. But the peace
that the saints enjoy in Christ, is not only their comfort, but it
is a part of their beauty and dignity. The Christian tranquillity,
rest, and joy of real saints, are not only unspeakable privileges,
but they are virtues and graces of God's Spirit, wherein his
image partly consists. This peace has its source in those prin-
ciples which are in the highest degree virtuous and amiable, such
as poverty of spirit, holy resignation, trust in God, divine love,
meekness, and charity ; the exercise of the blessed fruits of
the Spirit : Gal. v. 22, 23,
3. This peace greatly differs from that which is enjoyed by
the men of the world, with regard to its exquisite sweetness.
It is a peace so much above all that natural men enjoy in
worldly things, that it surpasses their understanding and con-
ception. Phil. iv. 7. It is exquisitely sweet and secure, because
it has so firm a foundation, the everlasting rock that never
can be moved ; because perfectly agreeable to reason ; because
it rises from holy and divine principles, that, as they are the
virtue, so are they the proper happiness of men ; and because
the greatness of the objective good that the saints enjoy, is no
other than the infinite bounty and fulness of that God who is
the fountain of all good. The fulness and perfection of that
provision that is made in Christ and the new covenant, is a
foundation laid for the saints' perfect peace ; and this here-
after they shall actually enjoy. And though their peace is not
r".
SEB. XII. The Peace which Christ gives, 135
now perfect, it is not owing to any defect in the provision
made, but to their own imperfection, sin and darkness. As yetj
they partly cleave to the world, and seek peace from thence?
and do not perfectly cleave to Christ. But the more they do
so, and the more they see of the provision made, and accept of
it, and cleave to that alone, the nearer are they brought to per-
fect tranquillity. Isaiah xxvi. 5.
4. The peace of the Christian infinitely differs from that
of the worldling, in that it is unfaiUng and eternal. That peace
which carnal men have in the things of the world, is, accor-
ding to the foundation upon which it is built, of short continu-
ance ; like the comfort of a dream, 1 John ii. 1 Cor. vii. 3l.
These things, the best and most durable of them, are like bub-
bles on the face of the water ; they vanish in a momenta
Hos. X. 7. — But the foundation of the Christian's peace is ever-
lasting : it is what no time, no change, can destroy. It will
remain when the body dies : it will remain when the mountains
depart and the hills shall be removed, and when the heavens
shall be rolled together as a scroll. The fountain of his comfort
shall never be diminished, and the stream shall never be dried.
His comfort and joy is a living spring in the soul, a well of water
springing up to everlasting life.
APPLICATION.
The use that I would make of this doctrine, is to improve
it as an inducement unto all to forsake the world, no longer
seeking peace and rest in its vanities, and to cleave to Christ
and follow him. Happiness and rest are what all men pursue.
But the things of the world, wherein most men seek it, can never
afford it; they are labouring and spending themselves in vain.
But Christ invites you to come to him, and offers you this
peace, which he gives his true followers, and that so much excels
all that the world can afford. Is. Iv. 2, 3.
You that have hitherto spent your time in the pursuit of
satisfaction in the profit or glory of the world, or in the pleasures
and vanities of youth, have this day an offer of that excellent
and everlasting peace and blessedness, which Christ has pur-
chased with the price of his own blood. As long as you con-
tinue to reject those offers and invitations of Christ, and con-
tinue in a Christless condition, you never will enjoy any true
peace or comfort ; but will be like the prodigal, that in vain
endeavoured to be satisfied with the husks that the swine did
eat. The wrath of God will abide upon, and misery will attend
you, wherever you go, which you never will be able to escape.
Christ gives peace to the most sinful and miserable that come
to him. He heals the broken in heart, and bindeth up their
wounds. But it is impossible that they should have peace.
136 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
while they contitine in their sins. Isaiah Ivii. 19, 20, 21.
There is no peace between God and them ; for, as they have
the guilt of sin remaining in their souls, and are under its domi=
nion, so God's indignation continually burns against them, and
therefore they travail in pain all their days. While you continue
in such a state, you live in dreadful uncertainty what will
become of you, and in continual danger. When you are in the
enjoyment of things most pleasing to you, where your heart is
best suited, and most cheerful, yet you are in a state of con-
demnation. You hang over the infernal pit, with the sword of
divine vengeance hanging over your head, having no security one
moment from utter and remediless destruction. What reasonable
peace can any one enjoy in such a state as this. What though
you clothe him in gorgeous apparel, or set him on a throne, or
at a prince's table and feed him with the rarest dainties the
earth affords : how miserable is the ease and cheerfulness that
such have ! what a poor kind of comfort and joy is it that such
take in their wealth and pleasures for a moment, while they are
the prisoners of divine justice, and wretched captives of the
devil ! They have none to befriend them, being without Christ,
aliens from the commonw^ealth of Israel, strangers from the
covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world !
I invite you now to a better portion. There are better
thinge provided for the sinful, miserable children of men. There
is a surer comfort and more durable peace : comfort that you
may enjoy in a state of safety, and on a sure foundation : a peace
and rest that you may enjoy with reason, and with your eyes
open. You may have all your sins forgiven, your greatest and
most aggravated transgressions blotted out as a cloud, and buried
as in the depths of the sea, that they never may be found more.
And being not only forgiven, but accepted to favour, you
become the objects of God's complacency and delight; being
taken into God's family, and made his children, you may have
good evidence that your names were written on the heart of
Christ before the world was made, and that you have an interest
in that covenant of grace that is well ordered in all things and
sure ; wherein is promised no less than life and immortality, an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, a crown of glory that
fadeth not away. Being in such circumstances, nothing shall be
able to prevent your being happy to all eternity ; having for the
foundation of your hope, that love of God which is from
eternity to eternity : and his promise and oath, and his omni-
potent power, things infinitely firmer than mountains of brass.
The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, yea, the
heavens shall vanish away, like smoke, and the earth shall wax
old like a garment, yet these things will never be abolished.
SER. xir. The Peace which Christ gives, 137
In such a state as this you will have a foundation of peace
and rest through all changes, and in times of the greatest uproar
and outward calamity be defended from all storms, and dwell
above the floods ; Psalm xxxii. 6, 7. And you shall be at peace
with every thing, and God will make all his creatures throughout
all parts of his dominion, to befriend you ; Job v. 19, 24. —
You need not be afraid of any thing that your enemies can do
unto you; Psalm iii. 5, 6. Those things that are now most
terrible to you, viz. death, judgment, and eternity, will then be
most comfortable, the most sweet and pleasant objects of your
contemplation ; at least there will be reason that they should be
so. Hearken therefore to the friendly counsel that is given you
this day, turn your feet into the way of peace, forsake the
foolish and live ; forsake those things which are no other than
the devil's baits, and seek after this excellent peace and rest of
Jesus Christ, that peace of God which passeth all understanding.
Taste and see; never was any disappointed that made a trial.
Prov. xxiv. 13, 14. You will not only find those spiritual
comforts that Christ offers you to be of a surpassing sweetness
for the present, but they will be to your soul as the dawning
light that shines more and more to the perfect day ; and the
issue of all will be your arrival in heaven, that land of rest, those
regions of everlasting joy, where your peace and happiness will
be perfect, without the least mixture of trouble or affliction, and
never be interrupted nor have an end.
Vol, VL 18
SERMON XIII,
THE PERPETFITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.
1 Cor. XVI. 1, 2.
JVoty concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the
frst day of the week, let every one of you lay hy him m
store, as God hath prospered him, that there he no gatlierings
when I come.
We find in the New Testament often mentioned a certain
collection, which was made by the Grecian churches, for the
brethren in Judea, who were reduced to pinching want by a
dearth which then prevailed, and was the heavier upon them
by reason of their circumstances, they having been from the
beginning oppressed and persecuted by the unbelieving Jews.
This collection or contribution is twice jnentioned in the Acts,
chap. xi. 21 — 31 . and xxiv. 1 7. It is also noticed in several of
the epistles ; as Rom. xv. 26. and Gal. ii. 10. But it is most
largely insisted on, in these two epistles to the Corinthians ; in
this first epistle, chap. xvi. and in the second epistle, chap. viii.
and ix. — The apostle begins the directions, which in this place
he delivers concerning this matter, with the words of the text ;
— wherein we may observe,
1. What is the thing to be done concerning which the
apostle gives them direction, — the exercise and manifestation of
their charity towards their brethren, by communicating to them,
for the supply of their wants ; which was by Christ and his
apostles often insisted on, as one main duty of the Christian
religion, and is expressly declared to be so by the apostle James,
chapter i. 27. " Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction."
* Not dated.
SER. xili. The PcrjpeiuUi/ of the Sabbath- 139
2. We may observe the time on which the apostle directs
that this should be done, viz, " on the first day of the week."
By the inspiration of the holy Ghost he insists upon it, that it
be done on such a particular day of the week, as if no other
day would do so well as that, or were so proper and fit a time
for such a work. — Thus, although the inspired apostle was not
for making that distinction of days in gospel-times, which the
Jews made, as appears by Gal. iv. 10. " Ye observe days, and
months," yet, here he gives the preference to one day of the
week, before any other, for the performance of a certain great
duty of Christianity.
3. It may be observed, that the apostle had given to other
churches, that were concerned in the same duty, to do it on the
first day of the week : " As I have given orders to the churches
of Galatia, even so do ye." Whence we may learn, that it was
nothing peculiar in the circumstances of the Christians at
Corinth, which was the reason why the Holy Ghost insisted
that they should perform this duty on this day of the week.
The apostle had given the like orders to the churches of
Galatia.
Now Galatia was far distant from Corinth ; the sea parted
them, and there were several other countries between them«
Therefore it cannot be thought that the Holy Ghost directs
them to this time upon any secular account, having respect to
some particular circumstances of the people in that city, but
upon a religious account. In giving the preference to this
day for such work, before any other day, he has respect to
something which reached all Christians throughout the wide
world.
And by other pasages of the New Testament, we learn
that the case was the same as to other exercises of religion ;
and that the first day of the week was preferred before any
other day, in churches immediately under the care of the apos-
tles, for an attendance on the exercises of religion in general.
Acts XX. 7. " Upon the first day of the week, when the dis-
ciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them."
It seems by these things to have been among the primitive
Christians in the apostles' days, with respect to the first day
of the week, as it was among the Jews, with respect to the
seventh.
We are taught by Christ, that the doing of alms and
showing of mercy are proper works for the sabbath-day. When
the Pharisees found fault with Christ for suffering his disciples
to pluck the ears of corn, and eat on the sabbath, Christ
corrects them with that saying, " I will have mercy and not
sacrifice ;" Matt. xii. 7. And Christ teaches that works of
mercy are proper to be done on the sabbath, Luke xiii. 15, 16.
and xiv. 5. — These works used to be done on sacred festivals,
'140 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
and days of rejoicing, under the Old Testament, as in Nehe-
iniah's and Esther's time ; Neh. viii. 10. and Esth. ix. 19, 22.
And Josephus and Philo, two very noted Jews, who wrote not
long after Christ's time, gave an account that it was the manner
among the Jews on the Sabbath, to make collections for sacred
and pious uses.
DOCTRINE.
It is the mind and will of God, that the first day of the
week should be especially set apart among Christians, for reli-
gious exercises and duties.
That this is the doctrine which the Holy Ghost intended
to teach us, by this and some other passages of the New Tes-
tament, I hope will appear plainly by the sequel. This is a
doctrine, that we have been generally brought up in by the in-
structions and examples of our ancestors ; and it has been the
general profession of the Christian world, that this day ought
to be religiously observed and distinguished from other days
of the week. However, some deny it. Some refuse to take
notice of the day, as different from other days. Others own,
that it is a laudable custom of the Christian church, into which
she fell by agreement, and by appointment of her ordinary
rulers, to set apart this day for public worship. But they deny
any other original to such an observation of the day, than pru-
dential human appointment- Others religiously observe the
Jewish sabbath, as of perpetual obligation, and that we want a
foundation for determining that this is abrogated, and another
day of the week is appointed in the room of the seventh.
All these classes of men say, that there is no clear revela-
tion that it is the mind and will of God that the first day of the
week should be observed as a day to be set apart for religious
exercises, in the room of the ancient sabbath ; which there
ought to be, in order to the observation of it by the Christian
church, as a divine institution. They say, that we ought not
to go upon the tradition of past ages, or upon uncertain and
far-fetched inferences from some passages of the history of the
New Testament, or upon some obscure and uncertain hints in
the apostolic writings; but that we ought to expect a plain in-
stitution ; which, they say, we may conclude God would have
given us, if he had designed that the whole Christian church, in
all ages, should observe another day of the week for an holy
sabbath, than that which was appointed of old'by plain and posi-
tive institution.
So far, it is undoubtedly true, that if this be the mind and
will of God, he hath not left the matter to human tradition ;
but hath so revealed his mind about it, in his word, that there
is to be found good and substantial evidence that it is his mind :
SEE. XIII. The Perpetuity of the Sabbath, 141
and, doubtless, the revelation is plain enough for them that have
ears to hear ; that is, for them that will justly exercise their un-
derstandings about what God says to them. No Christian,
therefore, should rest till he has satisfactorily discovered the
mind of God in this matter. If the Christian sabbath be of
divine institution, it is doubtless of great importance to religion
that it be well kept ; and, therefore, that every Christian be
well acquainted with the institution.
If men take it only upon trust, and keep the first day of
the week because their parents taught them so, or because they
see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so consci-
entiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing
for themselves, that there are good grounds in the word of God
for their practice. Unless they da see thus for themselves,
whenever they are negligent in sanctifying the sabbath, or are
guilty of profaning it, their consciences will not have that ad-
vantage to smite them for it, as otherwise they would. And
those who have a sincere desire to obey God in all things, will
keep the Sabbath more carefully, and more cheerfully, if they
have seen and been convinced, that therein they do what is
according to the will and command of God, and what is ac-
ceptable to him ; and will also have a great deal more comfort
in the reflection upon their having carefully and painfully kept
the Sabbath.
Therefore, I design now, by the help of God, to show, that
it is sufficiently revealed in the scriptures, to be the mind and
will of God, that the first day of the week should be distin-
guished in the Christian church from other days of the week, as
a Sabbath, to be devoted to religious exercises.
In order to this, I shall here premise, that the mind and
will of God, concerning any duty to be performed by us, may
be sufficiently revealed in his word, without a particular pre-
cept in so many express terms, enjoining it. The human un-
derstanding is the ear to which the word of God is spoken :
and if it be so spoken, that that ear may plainly hear it, it is
enough. God is sovereign as to the manner of speaking his
mind, whether he will speak it in express terms, or whether he
will speak it by saying several other things which imply it, and
from which we may, by comparing them together, plainly per-
ceive it. If the mind of God be but revealed, if there be but
sufficient means for the communication of his mind to our
minds, that is sufficient ; whether we hear so many express
words with our ears, or see them in writing with our eyes ; or
whether we see the thing that he would signify to us, by the eye
of reason and understanding.
Who can positively say, that if it had been the mind of
God, that we should keep the first day of the week, he would
have commanded it in express terms, as he did the observation
142 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
of the seventh day of old ? Indeed, if God had so made our
faculties, that we were not capable of receiving a revelation of
his mind in any other way; then there would have been some
reason to say so. But God hath given us such understandings,
that we are capable of receiving a revelation, when made in
another manner. And if God deals with us agreeably to our
natures, and in a way suitable to our capacities, it is enough.
If God discovers his mind in any way whatsoever, provided
it be according to our faculties, we are obliged to obedience;
and God may expect our notice and observance of his reve-
lation, in the same manner as if he had revealed it in express
terms.
I shall speak upon this subject under these two general
propositions.
1. It is sufficiently clear, that it is the mind of God. that
one day of the week should be devoted to rest, and to religious
exercises, throughout all ages and nations.
2. It is sufficiently clear, that under the gospel dispensation,
this day is the first day of the week.
I. Prop. It is sufficiently clear, that it is the mind of
God, that one day of the week should be devoted to rest, and
to religious exercises, throughout all ages and nations ; and not
only among the ancient Israelites, till Christ came, but even
in these gospel-times, and among all nations professing Chris-
tianity.
1. From the consideration of the nature and state of man-
kind in this world, it is most consonant to human reason, that
certain fixed parts of time should be set apart, to be spent by
the church wholly in religious exercises, and in the duties of
divine worship. It is a duty incumbent on all mankind, in all
ages alike, to worship and serve God. His service should be
our great business. It becomes us to worship him with the
greatest devotion and engagedness of mind : and therefore
to put ourselves, at proper times, in such circumstances, as
will most contribute to render our minds entirely devoted
to this work, without being diverted or interrupted by other
things.
The state of mankind in this world is such, that we are
called to concern ourselves in secular business and affairs,
which will necessarily in a considerable degree, take up the
thoughts and engage the attention of the mind. However
some particular persons may be in circumstances more free
and disengaged ; yet the state of mankind is such, that the
bulk of them, in all ages and nations, are called ordinarily to
exercise their thoughts about secular affairs, and to follow
SER. XIII. The perpeiuity of the Sabbath* 143
worldly business, which, in its own nature, is remote from the
solemn duties of religion.
It is therefore most meet and suitable, that certain times
should be set apart, upon which men should be required to
throw by all other concerns, that their minds may be the more
freely and entirely engaged in spiritual exercises, in the duties of
religion, and in the immediate worship of God ; and that their
minds being disengaged from common concerns, their religion
may not be mixed with them.
It is also suitable that these times should be fixed and
settled, that the church may agree therein, and that they should
be the same for all, that men may not interrupt one another;
but may rather assist one another by mutual example : for
example has a great influence in such cases. If there be a time
set apart for public rejoicing, and there be a general manifesta-
tion of joy, the general example seems to inspire men with a
spirit of joy ; one kindles another. So, if it be a time of
mourning, and there be general appearances and manifestations
of sorrow, it naturally affects the mind, it disposes it to depres-
sion, it casts a gloom upon it, and does as it were dull and
deaden the spirits. — So if a certain time be set apart as holy
time, for general devotion, and solemn religious exercises, a
general example tends to render the spirit serious and solemn.
2. Without doubt, one proportion of time is better and
fitter than another for this purpose. One proportion is more
suitable to the state of mankind, and will have a greater ten-
dency to answer the ends of such times, than another. The
times may be too far asunder. I think human reason is suffi-
cient to discover, that it would be too seldom for the purposes
of such solemn times, that they should be but once a year.
So, I conclude, nobody will deny, but that such times may
be too near together to agree with the state and necessary
affairs of mankind.
Therefore, there can be no difficulty in allowing, that some
certain proportion of time, whether we can exactly discover it
or not, is really fittest and best — considering the end for which
such times are kept, and the condition, circumstances, and
necessary affairs of men ; and considering what the state of man
is, taking one age and nation with another — more convenient
and suitable than any other; which God may know and exactly
determine, though we, by reason of the scantiness of our under-
standings, cannot.
As a certain frequency of the returns of these times may
be more suitable than any other, so one length or continuance
of the times themselves may be fitter than another, to answer
the purposes of such times. If such times, when they come,
were to last but an hour, it would not well answer the end ; for
then worldly things would crowd too nearly upon sacred exer-
144 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
cises, and there would not be that opportunity to get the mind
so thoroughly free and disengaged from other things, as there
would be, if the times were longer. Being so short, sacred and
profane things would be, as it were, mixed together. Therefore,
a certain distance between these times, and a certain continu-
ance of them when they come, is more proper than others ;
which God knows and is able to determine, though perhaps we
cannot.
3. Tt is unreasonable to suppose any other, than that God's
working six days, and resting the seventh, and blessing and
hallowing it, was to be of general use in determining this matter,
and that it was written, that the practice of mankind in general
might some way or other be regulated by it. What could be
the meaning of God's resting the seventh day, and hallowing
and blessing it, which he did, before the giving of the fourth
commandment, unless he hallowed and blessed it with respect
to mankind ? For he did not bless and sanctify it with respect
to himself, or that he, within himself, might observe it : as that
is most absurd. And it is unreasonable to suppose, that he
hallowed it only with respect to the Jews, a particular nation,
which rose up about two thousand years after.
So much, therefore, must be intended by it, that it was his
mind, that mankind should, after his example, work six days,
and then rest, and hallow, or sanctify the next following ; and
that they should sanctif}' every seventh day, or that the space
between rest and rest, one hallowed time and another, among
his creatures here upon earth, should be six days. So that
it hence appears to be the mind and will of God, that not
only the Jews, but men in all nations and ages, should sanctify
one day in seven : which is the thing we are endeavouring to
prove.
4. The mind of God in this matter, is clearly revealed in
the fourth commandment. The will of God is there revealed,
not only that the Israelitish nation, but that all nations, should
keep every seventh day holy ; or, which is the same thing, one
day after evesy six. This command, as well as the rest, is,
doubtless, everlasting, and of perpetual obligation, at least,
as to the substance of it, as is intimated by its being en-
graven on the tables of stone. Nor is it to be thought, that
Christ ever abolished any command of the ten ; but that there
is the complete numbci ten yet, and will be to the end of the
world.
Some say, that the fourth command is perpetual, but not
in its literal sense ; not as designing any particular proportion
of time to be set apart and devoted to literal rest and religious
exercises. They say, that it stands in force only in a mystical
sense, viz. as that weekly rest of the Jews typified spiritual
rest in the Christian church ; and that we, under the gospel,
I
&ER. XIII. The Perpetuity of the Sabbath. 145
are not to make any distinction of one day from another,
but are to keep all time holy, doing every thing in a spiritual
manner.
But this is an absurd way of interpreting the command,
as it refers to Christians. For, if the command be so far abo-
lished, it is entirely abolished. For it is the very design of
the command, to fix the time of worship. The first command
fixes the object, the second the means, the third the manner,
the fourth the time. And, if it stands in force now only as
signifying a spiritual, Christian rest, and holy behaviour at all
times, it doth not remain as one of the ten commands, but as a
summary of all the commands.
The main objection against the perpetuity of this com-
mand, is, that the duty required is not moral. Those laws
whose obligation arises from the nature of things, and from
the general state and nature of mankind, as well as from God's
positive revealed will, are called moral laws. _ Others, whose
obligation depends merely upon God's positive and arbitrary
institution, are not moral ; such as the ceremonial laws, and
the precepts of the gospel, about the two sacraments. Now the
objectors say, they will allow all that is moral in the decalogue
to be of perpetual obligation ; but this command, they say, is
not moral.
But this objection is weak and insufficient for the pur-
pose for which it is brought, or to prove that the fourth com-
mand, as to the substance of it, is not of perpetual obligation.
For,
(1.) If it should be allowed that there is no morality be-
longing to the command, and that the duty required is founded
merely on arbitrary institution ; it cannot, therefore, be certainly
concluded, that the command is not perpetual. We know that
there may be commands in force under the gospel, and to the
end of the world, which are not moral : such are the institu-
tions of the two sacraments. And why may there not be posi-
tive commands in force in all ages of the church? If positive
arbitrary institutions are in force in gospel-times, what is there
which concludes that no positive precept given before the times
of the gospel can yet continue in force ? But,
(2.) As we have observed already, the thing in general,
that there should be certain fixed parts of time set apart to be
devoted to religious exercises, is founded in the fitness of the
thing, arising from the nature of things, and the nature and
universal state of mankind. Therefore, there is as much
reason that there should be a command of perpetual and uni-
versal obligation about this, as about any other duty whatso-
ever. For if the thing in general, that there be a time fixed,
be founded in the nature of things, there is consequent upon it
a necessity, that the time be limited by a command ; for there
Voi,. VI, 19
346 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
must be a proportion of time fixed, or else the general moral
duty cannot be observed.
(3.) The particular determination of the proportion of
time in the fourth commandment, is also founded in the nature
of things ; only our understandings are not sufficient absolutely
to determine it of themselves. We have observed already,
that without doubt one proportion of time is in itself fitter than
another, and a certain continuance of time fitter than any
other, considering the universal state and nature of mankind,
which God may see, though our understandings are not perfect
enough absolutely to determine it. So that the difference be-
tween this command and others, doth not he in this, that other
commands are founded in the fitness of the things themselves,
arising from the universal state and nature of mankind, and
this not : but only, that the fitness of other commands is
more obvious to the understandings of men, and they might
have seen it of themselves ; but this could not be precisely
discovered and positively determined without the assistance of
revelation.
So that the command of God, that every seventh day
should be devoted to religious exercises, is founded in the
universal state and nature of mankind, as well as other com-
mands ; only man's reason is not sufficient, without divine
direction, so exactly to determine it: Though perhaps man's
reason is sufficient to determine, that it ought not to be much
seldomer, nor much oftener than once in seven days.
5. God appears in his word laying abundantly more weight
on this precept concerning the sabbath, than on any precept of
the ceremonial law. It is in the decalogue, one of the ten
commands, which were delivered by God with an audible
voice. It was written with his own finger on the tables of
stone in the mount, and was appointed afterwards to be written
on the tables which Moses made. The keeping of the weekly
sabbath is spoken of by the prophets, as that wherein consists
a great part of holiness of life ; and is inserted among moral
duties, Isaiah Iviii. 13, 14. " If thou turn away thy foot from
the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call
the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and
shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine
own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words : then shalt thou
delight thyself in the Lord, and 1 will cause thee to ride upon
the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of
Jacob thy father ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."
6. It is foretold that this command should be observed in
gospel-times ; as Isaiah Ivi. at the beginning, where the due
observance of the sabbath is spoken of as a great part of holi-
ness of life, and is placed among moral duties. It is also men-
tioned as a duty that should be most acceptable to God from
SER. xiir. . The Perpeluity of the Sabbath. ■ 147
his people, even where the prophet is speaking of gospel-times ;
as in the foregoing chapter, and in the first verse of this chap-
ter. And, in the third and fourth verses, the prophet is speak-
ing of the aboUtion of the ceremonial law in gospel-times, and
particularly of that law, which forbids eunuchs to come into
the congregation of the Lord. Yet, here the man is pro-
nounced blessed, who keeps the sabbath from polluting it, ver.
2. And even in the very sentence where the eunuchs are
spoken of as being free from the ceremonial law, they are
spoken of as being yet under obligation to keep the sabbath,
and actually keeping it, as that which God lays great weight
upon : " For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep
my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take
hold of my covenant : Even unto them will I give in mine
house, and within my walls, a place and a name better than of
sons and of daughters : I will give them an everlasting name,
that shall not be cut off."
Besides, the strangers spoken of in the sixth and seventh
verses, are the Gentiles, that should be called in the times of
the gospel, as is evident by the last clause in the seventh, and
by the eighth verse : " For mine house shall be called an house
of prayer for all people. The Lord God, which gathereth the
outcasts of Israel, saith. Yet will I gather others to him, besides
those that are gathered unto him." Yet it is represented here
as their duty to keep the sabbath : " Also the sons of the
stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to
love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that
keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and takelh hold of my
covenant : even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and
make them joyful in my house of prayer."
7. A further argument for the perpetuity of the sabbath,
we have in Matt. xxiv. 20. " Pray ye that your flight be not
in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day." Christ is here
speaking of the flight of the apostles and other Christians out
of Jerusalem and Judea, just before their final destruction, as is
manifest by the whole context, and especially by the 16th verse :
" Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains."
But this final destruction of Jerusalem was after the dissolution
of the Jewish constitution, and after the Christian dispensation
was fully set up. Yet, it is plainly implied in these words of
our Lord, that even then Christians were bound to a strict ob-
servation of the sabbath.
Thus I have shown, that it is the will of God, that
every seventh day be devoted to rest and to religious exer-
cises.
SKRMON XIV.
THE PERPETUITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.
1 Cor. XVI. 1, 2.
J\fow concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the
first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store,
as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings zvheii
I come.
The doctrine founded on these words was this, that it is the
mind and will of God, that the first day of the week should be
especially set apart among Christians, for religious exercises
and duties.
I proposed to discourse upon this doctrine under two
propositions ; and having already, under the first, endeavoured
to prove, That one day of the week is, throughout all ages, to
be devoted to religious exercises ; I proceed now to the
II. Prop. That it is the will of God, that under the gos-
pel dispensation, or in the Christian church, this day should be
the first day of the week.
In order to the confirmation of this, let the following things
be considered.
1. The words of the fourth commandment afford no
objection against this being the day that should be the sabbath,
any more than against any other day. That this day, which
according to the Jewish reckoning, is the first of the week,
should be kept as a sabbath, is no more oppo^te to any sen-
tence or word of the fourth command, than that the seventh
of the week should be the day. The words of the fourth com-
mand do not determine which day of the week we should
keep as a sabbath ; they merely determine, that we should
rest and keep as a sabbath every seventh day, or one day
after every six. It savs, " Six days thou shalt labour, and the
SER. XIV.' The Change of the Sahhath, 149
seventh thou shalt rest ;" which imphes no more, than that after
six days of labour, we shall, upon the next to the sixth, rest and
keep it holy. And this we are obliged to do for ever. But
the words no way determine where those six days shall begin,
and so where the rest or sabbath shall fall. There is no direc-
tion in the fourth command how to reckon the time, i. e. where
to begin and end it; but that is supposed to be determined
otherwise.
The Jews did not know, by the fourth command, where to
begin their six days, and on which particular day to rest ; this
was determined by another precept. The fourth command
does indeed suppose a particular day appointed ; but it does
not appoint any. It requires us to rest and keep holy a seventh
day, one after every six of labour, which particular da} God
either had or should appoint. The particular day was deter-
mined for that nation in another place, viz, in Exod. xvi.
23,25, 26. "And he said unto th nn. This is that which the
Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath
unto the Lord : bake that which ye will bake, to-day, and
seethe that ye will seethe ; and that which remaineth over, lay
up for you to be kept until the morning. 4nd Moses said,
Eat that to-day ; for to-day is a sabbath unto the Lord :
to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall
gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it
there shall be none." This is the first place where we have
any mention made of this sabbath, from the first sabbath on
which God rested.
It seems that the Israelites, in the time of their bondage
in Egypt, had lost the true reckoning of time by the days of
the week, reckoning from the first day of the creation. They
were slaves, and in cruel bondage, and had in a great measure
forgotten the true religion : for we are told, that they served the
gods of Egypt. And it is not to be supposed, that the Egyp-
tians would suffer their slaves to x^est from their work e*ery
seventh day. Now, they having remained in bondage for so
long a time, had probably lost the weekly reckoning ; therefore,
when God had brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness,
he made known to them the sabbath, on the occasion and in
the manner recorded in the text just now quoted. Hence, we
read in Nehemiah, that when God had led the children of
Israel out of Egypt, &lc. he made known unto them his holy
sabbath; Neh. ix. 14. " And madest known unto them thy
holy sabbath." To the same effect, we read in Ezek. xx.
10, 12. "Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land
of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. Moreover
also, I gave them my sabbaths."
But they never would have known where the particular day
would have fallen by the fourth command. Indeed, the fourth
150 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
command, as it was spoken to the Jews, did refer to their Jewish
sabbath. But that doth not prove, that the day was determined
and appointed by it. The precept in the fourth command is to
be taken generally of such a seventh day as God should appoint,
or had appointed. And because such a particular day had been
already appointed for the Jewish church ; therefore, as it was
spoken to them, it did refer to that particular day. But this
doth not prove, but that the same words refer to another ap-
pointed seventh day, now in the Christian church. The words
of the fourth command may oblige the church, under different
dispensations, to observe different appointed seventh days, as
well as the fifth command may oblige different persons to honour
different fathers and mothers.
The Christian sabbath, in the sense of the fourth command,
is as much the seventh day, as the Jewish sabbath ; because it is
kept after six days of labour, as well as that ; it is the seventh,
reckoning from the beginning of our first working-day, as well
as that was the seventh from the beginning of their first working-
day. All the difference is, that the seven days formerly began
from the day after God's rest from the creation, and now they
begin the day after that. It is no matter by what names the
days are called : if our nation had, for instance, called Wednes-
day the first of the week, it would have been all one as to this
argument.
Therefore, by the institution of the Christian sabbath, there
is no change from the fourth command ; but the change is from
another law, which determined the beginning and ending of their
working-days. So that those words of the fourth command, viz»
" Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work ; but the
seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God ;" afford no objec-
tion against that which is called the Christian sabbath ; for these
words remain in full force. Neither does any just objection
arise from the words following, viz. " For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and
rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh
day, and hallowed it." These words are not made insignificant
to Christians, by the institution of the Christian sabbath : they
still remain in their full force as to that which is principally
intended by them. They were designed to give us a reason
why we are to work but six days at a time, and then rest on the
seventh, because God hath set us the example. And taken so,
they remain still in as much force as ever they were. This is
the reason still, as much as ever it was. why we may work but
six days at a time. What is the reason that Christians rest
every seventh, and not every eighth, or every ninth, or tenth day ?
It is because God worked six days and rested the seventh.
It is true, these words did carry something further in their
meaning, as they were spoken to the Jews, and to the church
sER. XIV. The Change of the Sahhath. 151
before the coming of Christ : it was then also intended by them,
that the seventh day was to be kept in commemoration of the
work of creation. But this is no objection to the supposition,
that the words, as they relate to us, do not import all that they
did, as they related to the Jews. For there are other words
which were written upon those tables of stone with the ten
commandments, which are known and allowed not to be of the
same import, as they relate to us, and as they related to the
Jews, viz. these words in the preface to the ten commands, " I
am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage." These words were
written on the tables of stone with the rest, and are spoken to
us, as well as to the Jews : they are spoken to all to whom the
commandments themselves are spoken ; for they are spoken as
an enforcement of the commandments. But they do not now
remain in all the signification which they had, as they respected
the Jews. For we never were brought out of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage, except in a mystical sense. The same may
be said of those words which are inserted in the commandments
themselves, Deut. v. 15. " And remember that thou wast a
servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought
thee out thence, through a mighty hand and by a stretched out
arm : therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the
sabbath-day."
So that all the arguments of those who are against the
Christian sabbath, drawn from the fourth command, which are
all their strength, come to nothing.
2. That the ancient church vras commanded to keep a
seventh day in commemoration of the work of creation, is an
argument for the keeping of a weekly sabbath in commemoration
of the work of redemption, and not any reason against it.
We read in scripture of two creations, the old and the
new : and these words of the fourth command are to be taken
as of the same force to those who belong to the new creation,
with respect to that new creation, as they were to those who
belonged to the old creation, with respect to that. We read,
that " in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,"
and the church of old were to commemorate that work. But
when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, those that
belong to this new heaven and new earth, by a like reason, are to
commemorate the creation of their heaven and earth.
The scriptures teach us to look upon the old creation as
destroyed, and as it were annihilated by sin ; or, as being
reduced to a chaos again, without form and void, as it was at first.
Jer. iv. 22, 23. " They are wise to do evil, but to do good they
have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without
form and void ; and the heavens, and they had no light :" i. e.
they were reduced to the same state in which they were at first ;
152 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the earth was without form and void, and there was no light? but
darkness was upon the face of the deep.
The scripture further teaches us to call the gospel-restora-
tion and redemption, a creation of a new heaven and a new
earth; Isa. Ixv. 17, 18.'' For behold, I create new heavens, and
a new earth ; and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind. But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that
which I create : for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and
her people a joy." And Isa. li. 16. " And I have put my
words into th) mouth, and have covered (hee in the shadow
of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the founda-
tions of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people." —
And chap. Ixvi. 22. " For as the new heavens, and the new earth
which I will make," &c. In these places we are not only told
of a new creation, or new heavens and a new earth, but we are
told what is meant by it, viz. The gospel renovation, the
making of Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy ; saying
unto Zion, "Thou art my people," &c. The prophet, in all
these places is prophesying of the gospel redemption.
The gospel-state is every where spoken of as a renewed
state of things, wherein old things are passed away, and all
things become new : We are said to be created unto Christ
Jesus, unto good works : all things are restored and reconciled,
whether in heaven or in earth, and God hath caused light
to shine out of darkness, as he did at the beginning; and the
dissolution of the Jewish state was often spoken of in the Old
Testament as the end of the world. But we who belong to
the gospel-church, belong to the new creation ; and therefore
there seems to be at least as much reason, that we should com-
memorate the work of this creation, as that the members of the
ancient Jewish church should commemorate the work of the
old creation.
3. There is another thing which confirms it, that the fourth
command teaches God's resting from the new creation, as well
as from the old : which is, that the scriptures expressly speak of
the one, as parallel with the other, i. e. Christ's resting from the
work of redemption, is expressly spoken of as being parallel
with God's resting from the work of creation. Heb. iv. 10.
''• For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from
his own works, as God did from his."
Now, Christ rested from his works when he rose from the
dead, on the first day of the week. When he rose from
the dead, then he finished his work of redemption : his humi-
liation was then at an end ; he then rested, and was refreshed. —
When it is said, " There remaineth a rest to the people of
God ; " in the original, it is, a sabhatism, or the keeping of
a sabbath : And this reason is given for it, " For he that entered
into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God
SER. XIV. 2\e Change of the Sabbath. 153
did from his." These three things at least we are taught by
these words :
(1.) To look upon Christ's rest from his work of redemp-
tion, as parallel with God's rest from the work of creation ;
for they are expressly compared together, as parallel one with
the other.
(2.) They are spoken of as parallel, particularly in this
respect, viz. The relation which they both have to the keeping
of a Sabbath, among God's people, or with respect to the in-
fluence which these two rests have, as to sabbatizing in the
church of God : for it is expressly w^ith respect to this that they
are compared together. Here is an evident reference to God's
blessing and hallowing the day of his rest from the creation to
be a Sabbath, and appointing a Sabbath of rest in imitation of
him. For the apostle is speaking of this, verse 4. " For he
spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise : And
God did rest the seventh day from all his works." Thus far is
evident ; whatever the apostle has respect to by this keeping of
a Sabbath by the people of God, whether it be a weekly sab-
batizing on earth, or a sabbatizing in heaven.
(3.) It is evident in these words, that die preference is
given to the latter rest, viz. The rest of our Saviour from his
works, with respect to the influence it should have, or relation
it bears to the sabbatizing of the people of God, now under
the gospel, evidently implied in the expression, " There re-
maineth, therefore, a sabbatism to the people of God. For he
that entered into his rest," &c. For, in this expression. There
remaineth, it is intimated, that the old sabbatism appointed in
remembrance of God's rest, from the work of creation, doth
not remain, but ceases ; and that this new rest, in commemo-
ration of Christ's resting from his works, remains in the room
of it.
4. The Holy Ghost hath implicitly told us, that the sab-
bath which was instituted in commemoration of the old crea-
tion, should not be kept in gospel-times. Isaiah Ixv. 17, 18.
There we are told, that when God should create new heavens
and a new earth, the former should not be remembered, nor
come into mind. If this be so, it is not to be supposed, that
we are to keep a seventh part of time, on purpose to remember
it, and call it to mind.
Let us understand this which way we will, it will not be
well consistent with the keeping of one day in seven, in the
gospel-church, principally for the remembrance and calling to
mind of the old creation. If the meaning of the place be only
this, that the old creation shall not be remembered nor come
into mind in comparison with the new — that the new will be so
much more remarkable and glorious, will so much more nearly
concern us, so much more notice will be taken of it, and it will
Vol. VI. "20
154 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
be thought so much more worthy to be remembered and com-
memorated, that the other will not be remembered, nor come
into mind — it is impossible that it should be more to our pur-
pose. For then hereby the Holy Ghost teaches us, that the
Christian church has much more reason to commemorate the
new creation than the old : insomuch, that the old is worthy to
be forgotten in comparison with it.
And as the old creation was no more to be remembered,
nor come into mind, so, in the following verse, the church is
directed for ever to commemorate the new creation : " But be
you glad, and rejoice for ever in that which I create ; for, be-
hold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy ;" i. e.
Though you forget the old, yet for ever to the end of the world,
keep a remembrance of the new creation.
5. It is an argument that the Jewish sabbath was not to be
perpetual, that the Jews were commanded to keep it in re-
membrance of their deliverance out of Egypt. One reason
why it was instituted, was, because God thus delivered them, as
we are expressly told, Deut. v. 15. " And remember, that thou
wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God
brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a
stretched out arm : therefore, the Lord thy God commanded
thee to keep the sabbath-day." Now, can any person think,
that God would have all nations under the gospel, and to the
end of the world, keep a day every week, which was instituted
in remembrance of the deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt.
6. The Holy Ghost hath implicitly told us, that instituted
memorials of the Jews' deliverance from Egypt, should be no
longer upheld in gospel-times, Jer. xvi. 14, 15. The Holy
Ghost, speaking of gospel-times, says, " Therefore, behold the
days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said,
The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of
Egypt ; but, the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of
Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither
he had driven them : and I will bring them again into their
own land." They shall no more say, The Lord liveth, that
brought, &LC. i. e. at least they shall keep up no more any pub-
lic memorials of it.
If there be a sabbath kept in gospel-times, as we have shown
there must be, it is more just from these words to suppose, that
it should be as a memorial of that which is spoken of in the
latter verse, the bringing up of the children of Israel from the
land of the north : that is, the redemption of Christ, and his
bringing home the elect, not only from Judea, but from the
north, and from all quarters of the world. — See Isa. xliii. 1 6 — 20.
7. It is no more than just to suppose, that God intended
to intimate to us, that the sabbath ought by Christians to be
kept in commemoration of Christ's redemption, in that the
SER. XIV. The Change of the babbaili, 155
Israelites were commanded to keep it in remembrance of their
deliverance out of Egypt ; because that deliverance out of
Egypt is an evident, knovrn, and allowed type of it. It was
ordered of God, on purpose to represent it ; every thing about
that deliverance was typical of this redemption, and much is
made of it, principally for this reason, because it is so remark-
able a type of Christ's redemption. And it was but a shadow,
the work in itself was nothing in comparison with the work of
redemption. What is a petty redemption of one nation from
a temporal bondage, to the eternal salvation of the whole church
of the elect, in all ages and nations, from eternal damnation,
and the introduction of them, not into a temporal Canaan, but
into heaven, into eternal glory and blessedness ? Was that
shadow so much to be commemorated, as that a day once a
week was to be kept on the account of it ; and shall not we
much more commemorate that great and glorious woik of which
it was designed on purpose to be a shadow ?
Besides, the words in the fourth commandment, which
speak of the deliverance out of Egypt, can be of no significancy
nnto us, unless they are lo be interpreted of the gospel-redemp-
tion : but the words of the decalogue are spoken to all nations
and ages. Therefore, as the words were spoken to the Jews,
they referred to the type or shadow ; as they are spoken to us,
(hey are to be interpreted of the antitype and substance. For
the Egypt from which we under the gospel are redeemed, is the
spiritual Egypt ; the house of bondage from which we are re-
deemed, is a state of spiritual bondage. — Therefore the words,
as spoken to us, are to be thus interpreted, Remember thou
wast a servant to sin and Satan, and the Lord thy God delivered
thee from this bondage, with a mighty hand and outstretched
arm : therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the
sabbath-day.
As the words in the preface to the ten commandments,
about the bringing of the children of Israel out of Egypt, are
interpreted in our catechism, and as they have respect to us,
must be interpreted of our spiritual redemption, so, by an
exact identity of reason, must these words in Deuteronomy,
annexed to the fourth command, be interpreted of the same
gospel-redemption.
The Jewish sabbath was kept on the day that (he children
of Israel came up out of the Red Sea. For we are told in
Deut. V. 15. that this holy rest of the sabbath was appointed
in commemoration of their coming up out of Egypt. But (he
day of (heir going (hrough the Red Sea was the day of their
coming up out of Egypt ; for till then they were in the land
of Egypt. The Red Sea was the boundary of the land of
Egypt — The scripture itself tells us, that the day on which they
sung the song of Moses, was the day of their coming up out of
15G TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the land of Egypt; Hosea ii. 16. "And she shall sing there, as
in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up out of
the land of Egypt ; referring plainly to that triumphant song
which Moses and the children of Israel sang when they came
up out of the Red Sea.
The scripture tells us that God appointed the Jewish
sabbath in commemoration of the deliverance of the children of
Israel from their task-masters, the Egyptians, and of their rest
from their hard bondage and slavery under them ; Deut.
V. 14, 15. " That thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may
rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant
in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee
out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm;
therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the
sabbath-day." But the day that the children of Israel were
delivered from their task-masters and had rest from them, was
the day when the children of Israel came up out of the Red Sea.
They had no rest from them till then. For though they were
before come forth on their journey to go out of the land of
Egypt; yet they were pursued by the Egyptians, and were
exceedingly perplexed and distressed. But on the morning
that they came up out of the Red Sea, they had complete and
final deliverance ; then they had full rest from their task-
masters. Then God said to them, "The Egyptians which ye
have seen this day, ye shall see no more for ever ;" Exod. xiv. 13.
Then they enjoyed a joyful day of rest, a day of refreshment.
Then they sang the song of Moses ; and on that day was their
sabbath of rest.
But this coming up of the children of Israel out of the
Red Sea, was only a t7/pe of the resurrection of Christ. That
people was the mystical body of Christ, and Moses was a great
type of Christ himself; and besides, on that day Christ went
before the children of Israel in the pillar of cloud and of fire,
as their Saviour and Redeemer. On that morning Christ, in
this pillar of cloud and fire, rose out of the Red Sea, as out of
great waters ; which was a type of Christ's rising from a state of
death, and from that great humiliation which he suffered in death.
The resurrection of Christ from the dead, is in scripture
represented by his coming up out of deep waters. So it is in
Christ's resurrection, as represented by Jonah's coming out of
the sea ; Matt. xii. 40. It is also compared to a deliverance
out of deep waters. Psalm Ixix. 1, 2, 3. and verse 14, 15.
These things are spoken of Christ, as is evident from this, that
many things in this Psalm are in the New Testament expressly
applied to Christ.* — Therefore, as the Jewish sabbath was
* Compare verse 4. with John xv. 25. and verse 9. with John ii. 17. and
verse 2. with Matt, xxvii. 34. 48. and Mark xv. 23. and John six. 29. and
verse 22. with Rom. xi. 9, 10. and verse 25. with Acts i. 20.
sER. XIV. The Change of the Sabbath* 157
appointed on the day on which the pillar of cloud and fire rose
out of the Red Sea, and on which Moses and the church, the
mystical body of Christ, came up out of the same sea, which is
a type of the resurrection of Christ : it is a great confirmation
that the Christian sabbath should be kept on the day of the
rising of the real body of Christ from the grave, which is the
antitype. For surely the scriptures have taught us, that the
type should give way to the antitype, and that the shadow should
give way to the substance.
8. I argue the same thing from Psahn cxviii. 22, 23, 24.
There we are taught, that the day of Christ's resurrection is to
be celebrated with holy joy by the church. " The stone which
the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is
the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad
in it." The stone spoken of is Christ; he was refused and
rejected by the builders, especially when he was put to death.
That making him the head of the corner, which is the Lord's
doing, and so marvellous in our eyes, is Christ's exaltation,
which began with his resurrection. While Christ lay in the
grave, he lay as a stone cast away by the builders. But when
God raised him from the dead, then he became the head of the
corner. Thus it is evident the apostle interprets it. Acts iv.
10, 11. "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of
Israel, that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye cruci-
fied, whom God raised from the dead," &lc. — " This is the
stone which was set at nought by you builders, which is become
the head of the corner." — And the day on which this was done,
we are here taught, God hath made to be the day of the rejoicing
of the church.
9. The abolition of the Jewish sabbath seems to be
intimated by this, that Christ, the Lord of the sabbath, lay
buried on that day. Christ, the author of the world, was the
author of that work of creation of which the Jewish sabbath
was the memorial. It was he that worked six days and rested
the seventh day from all his works, and was refreshed. Yet he
was holden in the chains of death on that day. — God, who
created the world, now in his second work of creation, did not
follow his own example, if I may so speak ; he remained im-
prisoned in the grave on that day, and took another day to
rest in.
The sabbath was a day of rejoicing ; for it was kept in
commemoration of God's glorious and gracious works of crea-
tion, and the redemption out of Egypt. Therefore we are
directed to call the sabbath a delight. But it is not a proper
day for the church, Christ's spouse, to rejoice, when Christ
the bridegroom lies buried in the grave, as Christ says, Matt.
ix. 15. " That the children of the bride-chamber cannot mourn,
168 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
while the bridegroom is with them. But the time will come
when the bridegroom shall be taken from them ; then shall they
mourn." — While Christ was holden under the chains of death;
then the bridegroom was taken from them ; then it was a proper
time for the spouse to mourn and not rejoice. But when Christ
rose again, then it was a day of joy, because we are begotten
again to a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead.
10. Christ hath evidently, on purpose and design, pecu-
liarly honoured the first day of the week, the day on which he
rose from the dead, by taking it from time to time to appear
to the apostles ; and he chose this day to pour out the Holy
Ghost on the apostles, which we read of in the second chapter
of Acts. For this was on Pentecost, which was on the first day
of the week, as you may see by Levit. xxiii. 15, 16. and he
honoured this day by pouring out his Spirit on the apostle John,
and giving him his visions. Rev. i. 10. "I was in the Spirit on
the Lord's day," &c. — Now doubtless Christ had his meaning
in thus distinguishingly honouring this day.
1 1- It is evident by the New Testament, that this was espe-
cially the day of the public worship of the primitive church, by
the direction of the apostles. We are told that this was the day
that they were wont to come together to break bread ; and this
they evidently did with the approbation of the apostles, inas-
much as they preached to them on that day ; and therefore
doubtless they assembled -together by the direction of the apos-
tles. Acts XX. 7. " And upon the first day of the week, when
the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto
them." So the Holy Ghost was careful that the public contri-
butions should be on this day, in all the churches, rather than
on any other day, as it appears by our text-
12. This first day of the week is in the New Testament
called the LonPs day ; see Rev. i. 10. — Some say, how do we
know that this was the first day of the week ? Every day is
the Lord's day. But it is the design of John to tell us when he
had those visions. And if by the Lord's day is meant any day.
how doth that inform us lohen that event took place ?
But what is meant by this expression, we know, just in
the same way as we know what is the meaning of any word in
the original of the New Testament, or the meaning of any ex-
pression in an ancient language, viz. by what we fii\d to be the
universal signification of the expression in ancient times. This
expression, tht Lord''s day, is found by the ancient use of the
whole Christian church, by what appears in all the writings of
ancient times, even from the apostles' days, to signify the first
day of the week.
And the expression implies in it the holiness of the day.
For, doubtless, the day is called the Lordh day, as the sacred
SER. XIV. The Change of the Sabbath, 159
supper is called the Lord''s supper, which is so called, because
it is an holy supper, to be celebrated in rennembrance of the
Lord Christ, and of his redemption. So this is an holy day,
to be kept in remembrance of the Lord Christ, and his redemp-
tion.
The first day of the week being in scripture called the
Lord''s day, sufficiently makes it out to be the day of the week
that is to be kept holy unto God ; for God hath been pleased
to call it by his own name. When any thing is called by the
name of God in scripture, this denotes the appropriation of it
to God. Thus God put his name upon his people Israel of
old; Numb. vi. 27. ".And they shall put my name upon the
children of Israel." They were called by the name of God,
as it is said, 2 Chron. vii. 14. " If my people, which are call-
ed by my name, &:c. ; i. e. They were called God's people, or
the Lord's people. This denoted that they were an holy, pe-
culiar people, above all others. Deut. vii. 6. " Thou art an
holy people unto the Lord 5 and so in verse 14, and many other
places.
So the city Jerusalem was called by God's name ; Jer.
XXV. 29. — " Upon the city which is called by my name." Dan.
ix. 18, 19. "And the city which is called by thy name," &;c.
This denoted, that it was an holy city, a city chosen of God
above all other cities for holy uses, as it is often called the holy
city, as in Neh. xi. 1. "To dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city :"
and in many other places.
So the temple is said to be, an house called by God's
name ; 1 Kings, viii. 43. " This house that is called by my
name." And often elsewhere. That is, it was called God's
house, or the Lord's house. This denoted that it was called
an holy place, an house devoted to holy uses, above all others.
So, also, we find, that the first day of the week is called by
God's name, being called in scripture God's day, or the Lord''s
day, which denotes that it is an holy day, a day appropriated
to holy uses, above all others in the week.
13. The tradition of the church from age to age, though
it be no rule, yet may be a great confirmation of the truth in
such a case as this is. We find, by all accounts, that it hath
been the universal custom of the Christian church, in all ages,
even from the age of the apostles, to keep the first day of the
week. We read in the writings which remain of the first,
second, and third centuries, of the Christians' keeping the
Lord's day ; and so in all succeeding ages : and there are no
accounts that contradict them. This day hath al! along been
kept by Christians, in all countries throughout the world, and
by almost all that have borne the name of Christians, of all
denominations, however different in their opinions as to other
things.
160 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Now, although this be not sufficient of itself, without a
foundation in scripture, yet it may be a confirmation of it, be-
cause here is really matter of conviction in it to our reason.
Reason may greatly confirm truths revealed in the scriptures.
The universality of the custom throughout all Christian coun-
tries, in all ages, by what account we have of them, is a good
argument, that the church had it from the apostles : and it is
difficult to conceive how all should come to agree to set up
such a custom through the world, of different sects and opi-
nions, and we have no account of any such thing.
14. It is no way weakening to these arguments, that there
is nothing more plainly said about it in the New Testament, till
John wrote his Revelation, because there is a sufficient reason
to be given for it. In all probability, it was purposely avoided
by the Holy Spirit, in the first settling of Christian churches in
the world, both among the Heathen and among the Jews, but
especially for the sake of the Jews, and out of tenderness to the
Jewish Christians. For it is evident, that Christ, and the
apostles, declared one thing after another to them gradually as
they could bear it.
The Jews had a regard for their sabbath above almost
any thing in the laws of Moses ; and there was that in the Old
Testament which tended to uphold them in the observance of
this, much more strongly than any thing else that was Jewish.
God had made so much of it, had so solemnly, frequently, and
carefully commanded it, and had often so dreadfully punished
the breach of it, that there was more colour for their retaining
this custom, than almost any other.
Therefore, Christ dealt very tenderly with them in this point.
Other things of this nature, we find very gradually revealed.
Christ had many things to say, as we are informed, which yet
he said not, because they could not as yet bear them, and gave
this reason for it, that it was like putting new wine into old
bottles. They were so contrary to their old customs, that
Christ was gradual in revealing them. He gave here a little,
and there a little, as they could bear; and it was a long time
before he told them plainly the principal doctrines of the king-
dom of heaven. He took the most favourable opportunities to
tell them of his sufferings and death, especially when they were
full of admiration at some signal miracle, and were confirmed
in it, that he was the Messiah.
He told them many things much more plainly after his
resurrection than before. But even then, he did not tell them
all, but left more to be revealed by the Holy Ghost at Pente-
cost. They therefore were much more enlightened after that
than before. However, as yet he did not reveal all. The
abolition of the ceremonial law about meats and drinks was not
fully known till after this.
%
SEE. XIV. The Change of the Sabbath. i^Ql
The apostles were in the same manner careful and tender
of those to whom they preached and wrote. It was very
gradually that they ventured to teach them the cessation of
the ceremonial laws of circumcision, and abstinence from un-
clean meats. How tender is the apostle Paul with such as
scrupled, in the fourteenth chapter of Romans ? He directs
those who had knowledge to keep it to themselves, for the sake
of their weak brethren. Rom. xiv. 22. — But I need say no
more to evince this.
However, I will say this, Ihat it is very possible that the
apostles themselves at first might not have this change of the
day of the sabbath fully revealed to them. The Holy Ghost,
at his descent, revealed much to them, yet after that, they were
ignorant of much of gospel-doctrine ; yea, they were so a great
while after they acted the part of apostles, in preaching, bap-
tizing, and governing the church. Peter was surprised when he
was commanded to eat meats legally unclean ; and so were the
apostles in general, when Peter was commanded to go to the
Gentiles, to preach to them.
Thus tender was Christ of the church while an infant.
He did not feed them with strong meat, but was careful to
bring in the observance of the Lord's day by degrees, and
therefore >ook all occasions to honour it, by appearing from
time to time of choice on that day ; by sending down his Spirit
on that day in that remarkable manner at Pentecost ; by ordering
Christians to meet in order to break bread on that day, and by
ordering their contributions and other duties of worship to be
holden on it ; thus introducing the observance of it by degrees.
And though as yet the Holy Ghost did not speak very plainly
about it, yet God took special care that there should be sufficient
evidences of his will, to be found out by the Christian church,
when it should be more established and settled, and should have
come to the strength of a man.
Thus I leave it with every one to judge, whether there be
not sufficient evidence, that it is the mind and will of God that
the first day of the week should be kept by the Christian church
as a sabbath.
Vol. VI, 21
SERMON XV,
THE PERPETUITY AND CHANGE OF THE SABBATH,
1 Cor. XVI. 1, 2.
JVow concerning the collection for the saints, as I have giv^n
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the
frst day of the week, let every one of you lay hy him in
store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings
zohen I come.
It is the mind and will of God, that the first day of the week
should be especially set apart among Christians for religious
exercises and duties.
On this doctrine I have already discoursed, under two pro-
positions, showing, frst, That it is the will of God, that one day
of the week be, in all ages, set apart for religious duties ; and
secondly. That under the gospel, this day ought to be the frsi
day of the week. I now proceed to the
APPLICATION.
This shall be in an use of exhortation.
1, Let us be thankful for the institution of the Christian
sabbath. It is a thing wherein God hath shown his mercy to
us, and his care for our souls. He shows, that he, by his in-
finite wisdom, is contriving for our good, as Christ teaches
us that the sabbath was made for man ; Mark ii. 27. *' The
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." It
was made for the profit and for the comfort of our souls.
The sabbath is a day of rest : God hath appointed that
we should, every seventh day, rest from all our worldly labours.
Instead of that, he might have appointed the hardest labours
for us to go through, some severe hardships for us to endure.
Tt is a day of outward, but especially of spiritual rest. It is a
SER. XV. The Change of the Sabbath. 163
day appointed of God, that his people thereon may find rest
unto their souls ; that the souls of believers may rest and be
refreshed in their Saviour. It is a day of rejoicing : God made
it to be a joyful day to the church ; Psal. cxviii. 24. — " This
is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be
glad in it." They that aright receive and improve the sabbath,
call it a delight and honourable : it is a pleasant and a joyful
day to them ; it is an image of the future heavenly rest of the
church. Heb. iv. 9, 10, 11. "There remaineth therefore a
rest (or sabbatism, as it is in the original) to the people of God.
For he that hath entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from
his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore
to enter into that rest."
The Christian sabbath is one of the most precious enjoy-
ments of the visible church- Christ showed his love to his
church in instituting it ; and it becomes the Christian church to
be thankful to her Lord for it. The very name of this day, the
LorcPs day, or Jesus''s day, should endear it to Christians, as it
intimates the special relation it has to Christ, and also the design
of it, which is the commemoration of our dear Saviour, and his
love to his church in redeeming it.
2. Be exhorted to keep this day holy. — God hath given
such evidences that this is his mind, that he will surely require
it of you, if you do not strictly and conscientiously observe it.
And if you do thus observe it, you may have this comfort in the
reflection upon your conduct, that you have not been super-
stitious in it, but have done as God hath revealed it to be his
mind and will in his word, that you should do ; and that in so
doing you are in the way of God's acceptance and reward.
Here let me lay before you the following motives to excite
you to this duty.
(1.) By a strict observation of the sabbath, the name of
God is honoured, and that in such a w^ay as is very acceptable
to him. Isa. Iviii. 13. "If thou call the sabbath a delight,
the holy of the Lord, and shalt honour him.^'' God is honoured
by it, as it is a visible manifestation of respect to God's holy
law, and a reverencing of that which has a peculiar relation
to God himself, and that more in some respects than the ob-
servance of many other commands. And man may be just,
and generous, and yet not so plainly show respect to the re-
vealed mind and will of God, for many of the Heathen have
been so. But if a pers on with evident strictness and care,
observe the sabbath, it is a visible manifestation of a conscien-
tious regard to God's declaration of his mind, and so is a visible
honour done to his authority.
By a strict observance of the sabbath, the face of religion
is kept up in the world. If it were not for the sabbath, there
would be but little public and visible appearance of serving.
164 TWENTY SERMONis ON VARIOUS Sl/BJECTS.
worshipping, and reverencing the supreme and invisible Being.
The sabbath seems to have been appointed very much for this
end, viz. to uphold the visibility of religion in public, or among
professing societies of men ; and by how much greater the
strictness is with which the sabbath is observed, and with how-
much more solemnity the duties of it are observed, among a
people ; by so much the greater is the manifestation among
them of respect to the divine Being.
This should be a powerful motive with us to the observa-
tion of the Sabbath. It should be our study above all things to
honour and glorify God. It should be the great thing with all
that bear the name of Christians, to honour their great God
and King, and 1 hope is a great thing with many that hear me
at this time. If it be your inquiry, if it be your desire, to ho-
nour God ; by this subject you are directed to one way whereby
you may do much in that way, viz. by honouring the Sabbath
and by showing a careful and strict observance of it.
(2.) That which is the business of the Sabbath, is the great-
est business of our lives, viz, that of religion. To serve and
worship God, is that for which we were made, and for which
we had our being given us. Other business, which is of a secu-
lar nature, and on which we are wont to attend on week days,
is but subordinate, and ought to be subservient to the higher
purposes and ends of religion. Therefore, surely we should
not think much of devoting one seventh part of our time, to be
loholly spent in this business, and to be set apart to exercise
ourselves in the immediate duties of religion.
(3.) Let it be considered, that all our time is God's, and
therefore, when he challenges of us one day in seven, he chal-
lenges his oxon. He doth not exceed his right ; he would not
have exceeded it, if he had challenged a far greater proportion
of our time to be spent in his immediate service. But he hath
mercifully considered our state, and our necessities here ; and,
as he hath consulted the good of our souls in appointing a se-
venth day, for the immediate duties of religion, so he hath con-
sidered our outward necessities, and hath allowed us six days
for attendance on our outward affairs. What unworthy treat-
ment, therefore, will it be of God, if we refuse to allow him
even the seventh day !
(4.) As the Sabbath is a day which is especially set apart
for reHgious exercises, so it is a day wherein God especially
confers his grace and blessing. As God hath commanded us
to set it apart to have converse with him, so hath he set it
apart for himself to have converse with us. As God hath com-
manded us to observe the Sabbath, so God observes the Sab-
bath too. It is with respect to the Sabbath, as Solomon prayed
that it might be with respect to the temple, 2 Chron. vi. 20.
His eyes are open upon it : He stands ready then especially
s**.^
SER. XV. The Change of the Sabbath, 1Q5
to hear prayers, to accept of religious services, to meet his
people, to manifest himself to them, to give his Holy Spirit
and blessing to those who diligently and conscientiously sanc-
tify it.
That w^e should sanctify the Sabbath, as we have observed,
is according to God's institution. God, in a sense, observes
his own institutions •, i. e. is wont to cause them to be attended
with a blessing. The institutions of God are his appointed
means of grace, and with his institutions he hath promised his
blessing ; Exod. xx. 24. " In all places where I record my
name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." For the
same reason, we may conclude, that God will meet his people
and bless them, waiting upon him not only in appointed places,
but at appointed times, and in all appointed ways. Christ hath
promised, that where two or three are gathered together in his
name, he will be in the midst of them. Matt, xviii. 20. One
thing included in the expression, in his name, is, that it is by his
appointment, and according to his institution.
God hath made it our duty, by his institution, to set apart
this day for a special seeking of his grace and blessing. From
which we may argue, that he will be especially ready to confer
his grace on those who thus seek it. If it be the day on which
God requires us especially to seek him, we may argue, that it is
a day on which especially he will be found. That God is ready
on this day especially to bestow his blessing on them that keep
it aright, is implied in that expression of God's blessing the Sab-
hath-day. God hath not only hallowed the Sabbath-day, but
blessed it ; he hath given his blessing to it, and will confer his
blessing upon all the due observers of it. He hath hallowed it,
or appointed that it be kept holy by us, and hath blessed it ; he
hath determined to give his blessing upon it.
So that here is great encouragement for us to keep holy
the sabbath, as we would seek God's grace and our own spirit-
ual good. The Sabbath-day is an accepted time, a day of sal-
vation, a time wherein God especially loves to be sought, and
loves to be found. The Lord Jesus Christ takes delight in his
own day ; he delights to honour it ; he delights to meet with
and manifest himself to his disciples on it, as he showed before
his ascension, by appearing to them from time to time on this
day. On this day, he delights to give his Holy Spirit, as he in-
timated by choosing it as the day on which to pour out the Spirit
in so remarkable a manner on the primitive church, and on
which to give his Spirit to the apostle John.
Of old, God blessed the seventh day, or appointed it to be
a day whereon especially he would bestow blessings on his
people, as an expression of his own joyful remembrance of
that day, and of the rest and refreshment which he had on it.
Exod. xxxi. 16, 17. " Wherefore the children of Israel shall
166 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
keep the sabbath. — For in six days the Lord made heaven and
earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed."
As princes give gifts on their birth-days, on their marriage-days,
and the Hke ; so God was wont to dispense spiritual gifts on the
seventh day,
B :t how much more reason has Christ to bless the day of
his resurrection, and to delight to honour it, and to confer his
grace and blessed gifts on his people on this day. It was a day
whereon Christ rested and was refreshed in a literal sense. It
was a day of deliverance from the chains of death, the day of
his finishing that great and difficult work of redemption, which
had been upon his heart from all eternity ; the day of his justi-
fication by the Father; the day of the beginning of his exalta-
tion, and of the fulfilment of the promises of the Father; the
day when he had eternal life, which he had purchased, put into
his hands. — On this day Christ doth indeed delight to distribute
gifts, and blessings, and joy and happiness, and will delight to
do the same to the end of the world.
O therefore, how well is it worth our while to improve this
day, to call upon God and seek Jesus Christ! Let awakened
sinners be stirred up by these things to improve the sabbath-day,
as they would lay themselves most in the way of the Spirit of
God. Improve this day to call upon God ; for then he is near.
Improve it for reading the holy scriptures, and diligently attend-
ing his word preached ; for then is the likeliest time to have the
Spirit accompanying it. Let the saints who are desirous of
growing in grace, and enjoying communion with Christ, improve
the sabbath in order to it.
(5) The last motive which Ishall mention, is the experience
of the influence which a strict observance of the sabbath has
upon the whole of religion. It may be observed, that in those
places where the sabbath is well kept, religion in general will
be most flourishing : and that in those places where the sabbath
is not much noticed, and much is not made of it, there is no
great matter of religion any way. — But,
Inq. How ought we to keep the sabbath ?
Ans. 1. We ought to be exceedingly careful on this day to
abstain from sin. Indeed, all breaches of the sabbath arc
sinful ; but we speak now of those things which are in them-
selves sinful, or sinful upon other accounts, besides that they are
done upon the sabbath. The sabbath being holy time, it is
especially defiled by the commission of sin. Sin by being com-
mitted on this day, becomes the more exceeding sinful. We
are required to abstain from sin at all times, but especially on
holy time. The commission of immoralities on the sabbath is
the worst way of profaning it, that which most provokes God.
and brings most guilt upon the souls of men.
SEK. XV, The Change of the Sabbath, 167
How provoking must it be to God, when men do those
things on that day — which lie has sanctified, and set apart to be
spent in the immediate exercises of rehgion — which are not fit
to be done on common days, which are impure and wicked
whenever they are done !
Therefore, if any persons be guilty of any such wickedness,
as intemperance or any unclean actions, thty do in a very horrid
manner profane the sabbath. Or if they be guilty of wicked-
ness in speech, of talking profanely, or in an unclean and lasci-
vious manner, or of talkuig against their neighbours, they do in
a dreadful manner profane the sabbath. Yet very commonly
those who are used to such things on week-days, have not a
conscience to restrain them on the sabbath. It is well if those
that live in the indulgence of the lust of uncleanness on week-
days, be not some way or other unclean on the sabbath. They
will be indulging the same lusts then ; they will be indulging
their impure flames in their imaginations at least ; and it is well
if they keep clear while in the house of God, and while they
pretend to be worshipping God. The unclean young man gives
this account of himself, Prov. v. 14. "I was almost in all evil
in the midst of the congregation and the assembly." So those
who are addicted to an impure way of talking in the week-time,
have nothing to keep them from the same upon the sabbath,
when they meet together. But dreadfully is God provoked by
such things.
We ought carefully to watch over our own hearts, and to
avoid all sinful thoughts on the sabbath. We ought to maintain
such a reverence for the sabbath, as to have a peculiar dread
of sin, such as shall awe us to a very careful watch over our-
selves.
2. We ought to be careful to abstain from all worldly con-
cerns. The reason, as we have showed, why it is needful and
proper that certain stated parts of time should be set apart to
be devoted to religious exercises, is because the state of man-
kind is such in this world, that they are necessitated to exercise
their minds, and employ their thoughts about secular matters.
It is therefore convenient that there should be stated times,
wherein all should be obliged to throw by all other concerns,
that their minds may the more freely and with less entanglement,
be engaged in religious and spiritual exercises.
We are therefore to do thus, or else we frustrate the very
design of the institution of a sabbath. We are strictly to abstain
from being outwardly engaged in any worldly thing, either
worldly business or recreations-. We are to rest in remembrance
of God's rest from the work of creation, and of Christ's rest
from the work of redemption. We should be careful that we
do not encroach upon the sabbath at its beginning, by busying
ourselves about the world after the sabbath is begun. We
168 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
should avoid talking about worldly matters, and even thinking
about them ; for whether we outwardly concern ourselves with
the world or not, yet if our minds be upon it, we frustrate the
end of the sabbath. The end of its separation from other days
is, that our minds may be disengaged from worldly things ; and
we are to avoid being outwardly concerned with the world,
only for this reason, that thai cannot be without taking up our
minds. — We ought therefore to give the world no place in our
thoughts on the sabbath, but to abstract ourselves from all
worldly concerns, and maintain a watch over ourselves, that
the world do not encroach, as it is very apt to do. Isaiah Iviii.
13, 14.
3. We ought to spend the time in religious exercises.
This is the more ultimate end of the sabbath. We are to
keep our minds separate from the world, principally for this
end, that we may be the more free for religious exercises. —
Though it be a day of rest, yet it was not designed to be
a day of idleness. To rest from worldly employments, with-
out employing ourselves about any thing, is but to lay our-
selves so much more in the devil's way. The mind will be
employed some way or other ; and therefore, doubtless the
end for which we are to call off our minds from worldly things
on the sabbath is, that we may employ them about things that
are better.
We are to attend on spiritual exercises with the greatest
diligence. That it is a day of rest, doth not hinder us in so
doing ; for we are to look on spiritual exercises but as the rest
and refreshment of the soul. In heaven, where the people
of Goc' have the most perfect rest, they are not idle, but are
employed in spiritual and heavenly exercises. — We should
take care therefore to employ our minds on a sabbath-day on
spiritual objects by holy meditation ; improving for our help
therein the holy scriptures, and other books that are according
to the word of God. We should also employ ourselves
outwardly on this day in the duties of divine worship, in
public and private. It is proper to be more frequent and
abundant in secret duties on this day, than on other days, as
we have time and opportunity, as well as to attend on public
ordinances.
It is proper on this day, not only especially to promote
the exercise of religion in ourselves^, laut also in others ; to be
assisting them, and endeavouring to promote their spiritual
good, by religious conference. — Especially those who have
the care of others ought, on this day, to endeavour to promote
their spiritual good : heads of families should be instructing and
counselling their children, and quickening them in the ways of
religion, and should see to it that the sabbath be strictly kept
in their houses. A pecuhar blessing may be expected upon
&.
HER, XV. 2%e Change of the Sabbath, 169
those families where there is due care taken that the sabbath be
strictly and devoutly observed.
4. We are on this day especially to meditate upon, and
celebrate the work of redemption. We are with special joy
to remember the resurrection of Christ; because that was the
finishing of that work. And this is the day whereon Christ
rested and was refreshed, after he had endured those extreme
labours which he endured for our perishing souls. This was
the day of the gladness of Christ's heart ; it was the day of his
deliverance from the chains of death, and also of our deliverance :
for we are delivered in him who is our head. He, as it were,
rose with his elect. He is the first-fruits ; those that are
Christ's will follow. Christ, when he rose, was justified as a
public person, and we are justified in him. This is the day of
our deliverance out of Egypt.
We should therefore meditate on this with joy ; we should
have a sympathy with Christ in his joy. As he was refreshed
on this day, so we should be refreshed, as those whose hearts
are united with his. When Christ rejoices, it becomes all his
church every where to rejoice. — We are to say of this day,
" This is the day that the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice and
be glad in it."
But we are not only to commemorate the resurrection of
Christ, but the whole work of redemption, of which this was
the finishing. We keep the day on which the work was finish-
ed, because it is in remembrance of the whole work. — We
should on this day contemplate the wonderful love of God and
of Christ, as expressed in the work of redemption ; and our re-
membrance of these things should be accompanied with suitable
exercises of soul with respect to them. When we call to mind
the love of Christ, it should be with a return of love on our
part. When we commemorate this work, it should be with
faith in the Saviour. And we should praise God and the Lamb
for this work, for the divine glory and love manifested in it, in
our private and public prayers, in talking of the wonderful
works of God, and in singing divine songs.
Hence it is proper that Christ's disciples should choose this
day to come together to break bread, or to celebrate the ordi-
nance of the Lord's supper, (Acts xx. 7.) because it is an ordi-
nance instituted in remembrance of the work of redemption.
5. Works of mercy and charity are very proper and ac-
ceptable to Christ on this day. They were proper on the ancient
sabbath. Christ was wont to do such works on the sabbath-day.
But they especially become the Christian sabbath, because it is
a day kept in commemoration of the greatest work of mercy
and love towards us that ever was wrought- What can be more
proper, than that on such a day we should be expressing our
Vol, VT, 22
no TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
love and mercy towards our fellow-creatures, and especially our
fellow-christians. Christ loves to see us show our thankfulness
to him in such ways as these. Therefore we find that the Holy
Ghost was especially careful, that such works should be perform-
ed on the first day of the week in the primitive church, as we
learn bv our text.
I
I
^^k
SERMON XVI.*
A DIVINE AND SUPERNATURAL LIGHT, IMMEDIATELY IM-
PARTED TO THE SOUL BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, SHOWN
TO BE BOTH A SCRIPTURAL AND RATIONAL DOCTRINE.
Matt. xvi. 17.
»j?nc? Jesus answered and said unto him. Blessed art thou,
Simon Bar-jona : for Jiesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father zohich is in heaven.
Christ addresses these words to Peter upon occasion of his
professing his faith in him as the Son of God. Our Lord was
inquiring of his disciples, whom men said that he was ; not
that he needed to be informed, but onl}? to introduce and give
occasion to what follows. They answer, that some said he
was John the Baptist, and some Elias, and others Jeremias,
or one of the prophets. When they had thus given an
account whom others said that he was, Christ asks them,
whom they said that he was ? Simon Peter, whom we find
always zealous and forward, was the first to answer : he
readily replied to the question, l^hou art Christ the Son of
the living God,
Upon this occasion, Christ says as he does to him and of
him in the text : in which we may observe,
1 . That Peter is pronounced blessed on this account. —
Blessed art thou — " Thou art an happy man, that thou art
not ignorant of this, that I am Christ, the So7i of the living
God, Thou art distinguishingly happy. Others are blinded,
and have dark and deluded apprehensions, as you have now
given an account, some thinking that I am Elias, and some
that I am Jeremias, and some one thing, and some another :
hut none of them thinking right all of them are misled.
* Preached at Northampton, and published at the desire of some of the
hearers, in the year 1734.
172 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Happy art thou, that art so distinguished as to know the truth
in this matter."
2. The evidence of this his happiness declared, viz.
That God, and he only, had revealed it to him. This is an
evidence of his being blessed.
First. As it shows how peculiarly favoured he was of
God above others ; q. d. " How highly favoured art thou,
that others, wise and great men, the scribes, Pharisees, and
rulers, and the nation in general, are left m darkness, to
follow their own misguided apprehensions ; and that thou
shouldst be singled out, as it were, by name, that my heavenly
Father should thus set his love on thee, Simon Bar-jona. —
This argues thee blessed, that thou shouldst thus be the object
of God's distinguishing love."
Secondly. It evidences his blessedness also, as it intimates
that this knowledge is above any that Jlesh and blood can
reveal. " This is such knowledge as only my Father zohich is
in heaven can give. It is too high and excellent to be com-
municated by such means as other knowledge is. Thou art
blessed, that thou knowest what God alone can teach thee."
The original of this knowledge is here declared, both
negatively and positively. Positively, as God is here declared
the author of it. Negatively, as it is declared, ihdii fie sh and
blood had not revealed it. God is the author of all knowledge
and understanding whatsoever. He is the author of all moral
prudence, and of the skill that men have in their secular
business. Thus it is said of all in Israel that were wise-
hearted, and skilled in embroidering, that God had filled them
Tvith the spirit of wisdom, Exod. xxviii. 3.
God is the author of such knowledge ; yet so that fiesh
and blood reveals it. Mortal men are capable of imparting
the knowledge of human arts and sciences, and skill in tem-
poral affairs. God is the author of such knowledge by those
means : fiesh and blood is employed as the mediate or second
cause of it ; he conveys it by the power and influence of
natural means. But this spiritual knowledge, spoken of in
the text, is what God is the author of, and none else : he
reveals it, and fiesh and blood reveals it not. He imparts this
knowledge immediately, not making use of any intermediate
natural causes, as he does in other knowledge.
What had passed in the preceding discourse naturally
occasioned Christ to observe this ; because the disciples had
been telling how others did not know him, but were generally
mistaken about him, divided and confounded in their opinions
of him : but Peter had declared his assured faith, that he was
the Son of God. Now it was natural to observe, how it was
not fiesh and blood that had revealed it to him, but God ; for
if this knowledge were dependent on natural causes or means,
SER. XVI.' The Reality of spiritual Light, 173
how came it to pass that they, a company of poor fishermen,
ilHterate men, and persons of low education, attained to the
knowledge of the truth ; while the Scribes and Pharisees, men
of vastly higher advantages, and greater knowledge and sagaci-
ty, in other matters, remained in ignorance ? This could be
owing only to the gracious distinguishing influence and revela-
tion of the Spirit of God. Hence, what I would make the
subject of my present discourse, from these words, is this
DOCTRINE.
That there is such a thing as a spiritual and divine light,
immediately imparted to the soul by God, of a different nature
from any that is obtained by natural means. And on this sub-
ject I would,
I. Show what this divine light is.
II. How it is given immediately by God, and not obtained
by natural means.
III. Show the truth of the doctrine.
And then conclude with a brief improvement.
I. I would show what this spiritual and divine light is.
And in order to it would show.
Firsts In a few things, what it is not. And here,
1. Those convictions that natural men may have of their
sin and misery, is not this spiritual and divine light. Men^
in a natural condition, may have convictions of the guilt that
lies upon them, and of the anger of God, and their danger of
divine vengeance. Such convictions are from the light of
truth. That some sinners have a greater conviction of their
guilt and misery than others, is because some have more
light, or more of an apprehension of truth than others. And
this light and conviction may be from the Spirit of God; the
Spirit convinces men of sin ; but yet nature is much more
concerned in it than in the communication of that spiritual
and divine light that is spoken of in the doctrine ; it is from
the Spirit of God only as assisting natural principles, and not
as infusing any new principles. Common grace ditTtis from
special, in that it influences only by assisting of nature ; and
not by imparting grace, or bestowing any thing above nature.
The light that is obtained, is wholly natural, or of no superior
kind to what mere nature attains to, though more of that kind
be obtained than would be obtained, if men were left wholly
to themselves ; or, in other words, common grace only assists
the faculties of the soul to do that more fully which they do
by nature, as natural conscience or reason will by mere nature
make a man sensible of guilt, and will accuse and condemn
J 74 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
him when he has done amiss. Conscience is a principle
natural to men; and the work that it doth naturally, or of
itself, is to give an apprehension of right and wrong, and to
suggest to the mind the relation that there is between right and
wrong and a retribution. The Spirit of God, in those convic-
tions which unregenerate men sometimes have, assists con-
science lo do this work in a further degree than it would do if
they were left to themselves. He helps it against those things
that tend to stupify it, and obstruct its exercise. But in the
renewing and sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, those
things are wrought in the soul that are above nature, and of
which there is nothing of the like kind in the soul by nature ;
and they are caused to exist in the soul habitually, and accord-
ing to such a stated constitution or law, that lays such a foun-
dation for exercises in a continued course, as is called a prin-
ciple of nature. Not only are remaining principles assisted to
do their work more freely and fully, but those principles are
restored that were utterly destroyed by the fall ; and the
mind thenceforward habitually exerts those acts that the domi-
nion of sin had made it as wholly destitute of as a dead body is
of vital acts.
The Spirit of God acts in a very different manner in the
one case, from what he doth in the other. He may, indeed,
act upon the mind of a natural man, but he acts in the mind of
a saint as an indwelling vital principle. He acts upon the
mind of an unregenerate person as an extrinsic occasional
agent ; for, in acting upon them, he doth not unite himself to
them : for, notwithstanding all his influences that they may
possess, they are ^till sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 19.
But he unites himself with the mind of a saint, takes him for
his temple, actuates and influences him as a new supernatural
principle of life and action. There is this difference, that the
Spirit of God, in acting in the soul of a godly man, exerts
and communicates himself there in his own proper nature.
Holiness is the proper nature of the Spirit of God. The Holy
Spirit operates in the minds of the godly, by uniting himself
to them, and living in them, and exerting his own nature
in the exercise of their faculties. The Spirit of God may
act upon a creature, and yet not in acting communicate
himself. The Spirit of God may act upon inanimate crea-
tures ; as, the Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, in the
beginning of the creation ; so the Spirit of God may act
upon the minds of men many ways, and communicate himself
no more than when he acts upon an inanimate creature.
For instance, he may excite thoughts in them, may assist their
natural reason and understanding, or may assist other natural
principles, and this without any union with the soul, but may
act, as it were, upon an external object. But as he acts in his
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light. 17S
holy influences and spiritual operations, he acts in a way of pe-
culiar communication of himself; so that the subject is thence
denominated spiritual.
2. This spiritual and divine light does not consist in any
impression made upon the imagination. It is no impression
upon the mind, as though one saw any thing with the bodily
eyes. It is no imagination or idea of an outward light or
glory, or any beauty of form or countenance, or a visible lustre
or brightness of any object. The imagination maj be strongly
impressed with such things ; but this is not spiritual light.
Indeed when the mind has a lively discovery of spiritual things,
and ■> greatly affected with the power of divine light, it may, and
probably very commonly doth, much atfect the imagination 5
so that impressions of an outward beauty or brightness may
accompany those spiritual discoveries. But spiritual light is
not that impression upon the imagination, but an exceedingly
different thing. Natural men may have lively impressions on
their imaginations ; and we cannot determine but that the
devil, who transforms himself into an angel of light, may cause
imaginations of an outward beauty, or visible glory, and of
sounds and speeches, and other such things ; but these are
things of a vastly inferior nature to spiritual light.
3. This spiritual light is not the suggesting of any new
truths or propositions not contained in the word of God. This
suggesting of new truths or doctrines to the mind, independent
of any antecedent revelations of those propositions, either in
word or writing, is inspiration ; such as the prophets and
apostles had, and such as some enthusiasts pretend to. But
this spiritual light that I am speaking of, is quite a different
thing from inspiration. It reveals no new doctrine, it suggests
no new proposition to the mind, it teaches no new thing of
God, or Christ, or another world, not taught in the Bible, but
only gives a due apprehension of those things that are taught
in the word of God.
4. It is not every affecting view that men have of religious
things that is this spiritual and divine light. Men by mere
principles of nature are capable of being affected with things
that have a special relation to religion as well as other things.
A person by mere nature, for instance, may be liable to be
affected with the story of Jesus Christ, and the sufferings he
underwent, as well as by any other tragical story. He may
be the more affected with it from the interest he conceives
mankind to have in it. Yea, he may be affected with it
without believing it ; as well as a man may be affected with
what he reads in a romance, or sees acted in a stage-play.
He may be affected with a lively and eloquent description of
many pleasant things that attend the state of the blessed in
heaven, as well as his imagination be entertained by a romantic
176 TWENTy SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS,
description of the pleasantness of fairy land, or the like. And
a common belief of the truth of such things, from education or
otherwise, may help forward their affection. We read in
Scripture of many that were greatly affected with things of a
religious nature, who yet are there represented as wholly
graceless, and many of them very ill men. A person there-
fore may have affecting views of the things of religion, and yet
be very destitute of spiritual light. Flesh and blood may be
the author of this ; one man may give another an affecting
view of divine things with but common assistance ; but God
alone can give a spiritual discovery of them. — But I proceed
to show.
Secondly, Positively what this spiritual and divine light is.
And it may be thus described : A true sense of the
divine excellency of the things revealed in the word of God,
and a conviction of the truth and reality of them thence
arising. This spiritual light primarily consists in the former
of thesp, xiz. A real sense and apprehension of the divine
excellency of things revealed in the word of God. A spiritual
and saving conviction of the truth and reality of these things,
arises from such a sight of their divine excellency and glory ;
so that this conviction of their truth is an effect and natural
consequence of this sight of their divine glory. There is
therefore in this spiritual light,
1. A true sense of the divine and superlative excellency
of the things of religion ; a real sense of the excellency of
God and Jesus Christ, and of the work of redemption, and
the ways and works of^ God revealed in the gospel. There
is a divine and superlative glory in these things ; an excel-
lency that is of a vastl) higher kind, and more sublime nature
than in other things ; a glory greatly distinguishing them
from all that is earthlv and temporal. He that is spiritually
enlightened truly apprehends and sees it, or has a sense of it.
He does not merely rationally believe that God is glorious,
but he has a sense of the gloriousness of God in his heart.
There is not only a rational belief that God is holy, and that
holiness is a good thing, but there is a sense of the loveliness
of God's holiness. There is not only a speculatively judging
that God is gracious, but a sense how amiable God is on
account of the beauty of this divine attribute.
There is a twofold knowledge of good of which God has
made the mind of man capable. The first, that which is
merely notional ; as when a person only speculatively judges
that any thing is, which, by the agreement of mankind, is
called good or excellent, viz. that which is most to general
advantage, and between which and a reward there is a suita-
bleness,— and the like. And the other is, that which consists
in the sense of the heart: as when the heart is sensible of
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light, 177
pleasure and delight in the presence of the idea of it. In
the former is exercised merely the speculative faculty, or the
understanding, in distinction from the will or disposition of the
soul. In the latter, the will, or inclination, or heart, are mainly
concerned.
Thus there is a difference between having an opinion,
that God is holy and gracious, and having a sense of the
loveliness and beauty of that holiness and grace. There is a
difference between having a rational judgment that honey is
sweet, and having a sense of its sweetness. A man may have
the former, that knows not how honey tastes ; but a man
cannot have the latter unless he has an idea of the taste of
honey in his mind. So there is a difference between believing
that a person is beautiful, and having a sense of his beauty.
The former may be obtained by hearsay, but the latter only by
seeing the countenance. When the heart is sensible of the
beauty and amiableness of a thing, it necessarily feels pleasure
in the apprehension. It is implied in a person's being heartily
sensible of the loveliness of a thing, that the idea of it is plea-
sant to his soul ; which is a far different thing from having a
rational opinion that it is excellent.
2. There arises from this sense of the divine excellency
of things contained in the word of God, a conviction of the
truth and reality of them ; and that, either indirectly or
directly.
Firsts Indireqtly, and that two ways :
1. As the prejudices of the heart, against the truth of
divine things, are hereby removed ; so that the mind becomes
susceptive of the due force of rational arguments for their truth.
The mind of man is naturally full of prejudices against divine
truth. It is full of enmity against the doctrines of the gospel ;
which is a disadvantage to those arguments that prove their
truth, and causes them to lose their force upon the mind. But
when a person has discovered to him the divine excellency of
Christian doctrines, this destroys the enmity, removes those pre-
judices, sanctifies the reason, and causes it to lie open to the
force of arguments for their truth.
Hence was the different effect that Christ's miracles had
to convince the disciples, from what they had to convince the
scribes and Pharisees. Not that they had a stronger reason, or
had their reason more improved ; but their reason was sanctifi-
ed, and those blinding prejudices, that the Scribes and Phari-
sees were under, were removed by the sense they had of the
excellency of Christ, and his doctrine.
It not only removes the hinderances of reason, but posi-
tively helps reason. It makes even the speculative notions
more lively. It engages the attention of the mind, with more
fixedness and intcnseness to that kind of objects ; which
Vol, VL '??!
178 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
causes it to have a clearer view of them, and enables it more
clearly to see their mutual relations, and occasions it to take
more notice of them. The ideas themselves that otherwise
are dim and obscure, are by this means impressed with the
greater strength, and have a light cast upon them ; so that
the mind can better judge of them. As he that beholds
objects on the face of the earth, when the light of the sun
is cast upon them, is under greater advantage to discern them
in their true forms and natural relations, than he that sees them
in a dim twilight.
The niind, being sensible of the excellency of divine
objects, dwells upon them with delight ; and the powers of the
soul are more awakened and enlivened to employ themselves
in the contemplation of them, and exert themselves more fully
and much more to the purpose. The beauty of the objects draws
on the faculties, and draws forth their exercises ; so that reason
itself is under far greater advantages for its proper and
free exercises, and to attain its proper end, free of dark-
ness and delusion. — But,
Secondly, A true sense of the divine excellency of the
things of God's word doth more directly and immediately
convince us of their truth ; and that because the excellency of
these things is so superlative. There is a beauty in them
so divine and godhke, that it greatly and evidently distin-
guishes them from things merely human, or that of which
men are the inventors and authors ; a glory so high and great,
that when clearly seen, commands assent to their divine
reality. When there is an actual and lively discovery of this
beauty and excellency, it will not allow of any such thought
as that it is the fruit of men's invention. This is a kind
of intuitive and immediate evidence. They believe the doc-
trines of God's word to be divine, because they see a divine,
and transcendent, and most evidently distinguishing glory
in them ; such a glory as, if clearly seen, does not leave room
to doubt of their being of God, and not of men.
Such a conviction of the truths of religion as this, arising
from a sense of their divine excellency, is included in saving
faith. And this original of it, is that by which it is most essen-
tially distinguished from that common assent, of which unrege-
nerate men are capable.
II. I proceed now to the second thing proposed, viz. To
shew how this light is immediately given by God, and not ob-
tained by natural means.* And here,
* In the preceding slatcment and the following explanation, our author
might have rendered the subject of " divine light immediately imparted to the
soul" more perspicuous, by t fuller use of that analogy which the scripture
SKR. XVI. Th& Reality of Spiritual Light, 179
1. It is not intended that the natural faculties are not used
in it. They are the subject of this light : and in such a man-
ner, that they are not merely passive, but active in it. God,
in letting in this light into the soul, deals with man according
to his nature, and makes use of his rational faculties. But
yet this light is not the less immediately from God for that ;
the faculties are made use of as the subject, and not as the
cause. As the use we make of our eyes in beholding various
objects, when the sun arises, is not the cause of the light
that discovers those objects to us.
2. It is not intended that outward means have no concern
in this affair. It is not in this affair, as in inspiration, where
new truths are suggested ; for, by this light is given only
a due apprehension of the same truths that are revealed in the
holds forth, between the common theory of vision and the doctrine he de-
fends. Let the remarks which follow be candidly considered.
1. In the sacred scriptures, God is represented as " the Father of lights,"
and Christ as '' the sun of righteousness." Yea, it is asserted, that " God is
LIGHT," and that " he shines into the heart." These and similar expressions,
with which the Old and New Testament abound, show that there is a strong
analogy between light in the natural world, and something spiritual that
is expressed by the same term.
2. As the light of day proceeds from the natural sun, and shines into the
eye ; so the spiritual or supernatural light proceeds from God, and shines into the
heart, or mind. Thus the analogy holds, not cmly as to the things intended — in
their sources, and their emanations — but also as to the organs of reception.
3. The existence of light in the eye depends neither on the ;?e7-cc;j/ton of
it, nor on any external object. Our perception of illuminated objects is
the effect of light's existence in the organ of vision. Without light, both in
the eye, and on the object to be seen, there can be no perception of that
object. In like manner, the existence of that light which emanates from God,
and shines into the mind, is there (that is, in the mind,) prior to, and indepen-
dent of the mental perception of it; and consequently is there irrespective of the
knowledge of objects to be known by it. — Therefore,
4. Knowledge can be called " light" only in a secondary sense, both natu-
rally and spiritually ; that is, by a metonymy, because it is the effect of light.
We know a visible object, because we see it ; and we see it, because light
shines both on the object, and into the eye. It is by divine light shining into
the mind that we have a spiritual knowledge of God, of Christ, or of any other
object ; in other words, a holy emanation or influence from God, called light, is
the cause why any person or thing is known in a spiritual manner.
5. When any identify this divine light, these rays of the sun of righteous-
ness, with knowledge, (however spiritual and excellent,) because the latter is
metonymically called " light," they are chargeable with identifying cause and
effect, and therefore of confounding things which essentially differ. For spiri-
tual light, in the primary and proper sense, emanates immediately from God, as
rays from the sun ; but this cannot be said of knowledge, because the perception
of an object, which is our act, must intervene. Knowledge presupposes the pri-
mary light, and is also dependent on the objective truths perceived. All know-
ledge, whether natural or spiritual, stands essentially related to objects known;
so that without those objects it can have no existence. The knowledge of ob-
jects to be seen, therefore, is the effect of two causes concurring, the object itself
and light ; whereas the " divine light which is immediately imparted to the
soul," has but one cause, even the sovereign will of God.
6. Coroll. The theological notion which makes all spiritual light in roan to
consist in knowledge, and which is become too fashionable in the present day, is
contrary to scripture, and to rational analogy. — W.
180 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
word of God : and therefore it is not given without the word.
The gospel is employed in this affair. This light is the " light
of the glorious gospel of Christ." 2 Cor. iv. 4. The gospel is
as a glass, by which this light is conveyed to us. 1 Cor. xiii.
12. " Now we see through a glass." But,
3. When it is said that this light is given immediately
by God, and not obtained by natural means, hereby is in-
tended, that it is given by God without making use of
any means that operate by their own power or natural
force. God makes use of means ; but it is not as mediate
causes to produce this effect. There are not truly any second
causes of it ; but it is produced b) God immediately. The
word of God is no proper cause of this effect ; but is made use
of only to convey to the mind the subject-matter of this saving
instruction : And this indeed it doth convey to us by natural
force or influence. It conveys to our minds these doctrines ;
it is the cause of a notion of them in our heads, but not of
the sense of their divine excellency in our hearts. Indeed a
person cannot have spiritual light without the word. But
that does not argue, that the word properly causes that
light. The mind cannot see the excellency of any doc-
trine, unless that doctrine be first in the mind ; but seeing the
excellency of the doctrine may be immediately from the Spi-
rit of God ; though the conveying of the doctrine, or proposi-
tion, itself, may be by the word. So that the notions which
are the subject-matter of this light, are conveyed to the mind
by the word of God ; but that due sense of the heart, wherein
this light formally consists, is immediately by the Spirit of God.
As, for instance, the notion that there is a Christ, and that
Christ is holy and gracious, is conveyed to the mind by the
word of God : But the sense of the excellency of Christ, by
reason of that holiness and grace, is, nevertheless, immediately
the work of the Holy Spirit, — I come now,
III. To show the truth of the doctrine ; that is, to show
that there is such a thing as that spiritual light that has been
described, thus immediately let into the mind by God. And
here I would show, briefly, that this doctrine is both scriptural
and rational.
First, It is scriptural. My text is not only full to the
purpose, but it is a doctrine with which the Scripture abounds.
We are there abundantly taught, that the saints differ from the
ungodly in this ; that they have the knowledge of God, and a
sight of God, and of Jesus Christ. I shall mention but few
texts out of many : 1 John iii. 6. " Whosoever sinneth, hath
not seen him, nor known him." 3 John 11. "He that doeth
good, is of God : but he that doeth evil, hath not seen God."
John xiv. 19. "The world seeth me no more; but ye see
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light. 181
me." John xvii. 3. " And this is eternal life, that they might
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent." This knowledge, or sight of God and Christ, can-
not be a mere speculative knowledge ; because it is spoken of
as that wherein they differ from the ungodly. And by these
scriptures, it must not only be a different knowledge in degree
and circumstances, and different in its effects, but it must be
entirely different in nature and kind.
And this light and knowledge is always spoken of as im-
mediately given of God; Mat*, xi. 25 — 27. "At that time,
Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Feather, Lord of
heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All
things are delivered unto me of my Father : and no man
knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever
the Son will reveal him." Here this effect is ascribed exclu-
sively to the arbitrary operation and gift of God bestowing
this knowledge on whom he will, and distinguishing those
with it who have the least natural advantage or means for
knowledge, even babes, when it is denied to the wise and
prudent. And imparting this knowledge, is here appropriated
to the Son of God, as his sole prerogative. And again, 2 Cor.
iv. 6. " For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ."
This plainly shows, that there is a discovery of the divine
superlative glory and excellency of God and Christ, peculiar
to the saints : and, also, that it is as immediately from God,
as light from the sun : and that it is the immediate effect of
his power and will. For it is compared to God's creating the
light by his powerful word in the beginning of the creation ;
and is said to be by the Spirit of the Lord, in the 18th verse of
the preceding chapter. God is spoken of as giving the know-
ledge of Christ in conversion, as of what before was hidden
and unseen ; Gal. i. 15, 16. " But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his
grace, to reveal his son in me." The scripture also speaks
plainly of such a knowledge of the word of God, as has been
described as the immediate gift of God; Psalm cxix. 18.
" Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out
of thy law." What could the Psalmist mean, when he
begged of God to open his eyes ? Was he ever blind ? Might
he not have resort to the law, and see every word and sentence
in it when he pleased ? And what could he mean by those
wondrous things ? Were they the wonderful stories of the
creation, and deluge, and Israel's passing through the Red
Sea, and the Uke ? Were not his eyes open to read these
182 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
strange things when he would ? Doubtless, by wondrous
things in God's law, he had respect to those distinguishing and
wonderful excellencies, and marvellous manifestations of the
divine perfections and glory contained in the commands and
doctrines of the word, and those works and counsels of God
that were there revealed. So the scripture speaks of a know-
ledge of God's dispensation, and covenant of mercy, and
way of grace towards his people, as peculiar to the saints, and
given only by God ; Psalm xxv- 1 4. " The secret of the Lord
is with them that fear him ; and he will show them his co-
venant."
And that a true and saving belief of the truth of religion
is that which arises from such a discovery, is, also, what the
scripture teaches. As John vi. 40. " And this is the will of
him that sent me, that every one who seeth the Son, and be-
lieveth on him, may have everlasting life ;" where it is plain
that a true faith is what arises from a spiritual sight of Christ.
And John xvii. 6, 7, 8. " 1 have manifested thy name unto
the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Now, they
have known, that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are
of thee. For I have given unto them the words which Ihou
gavest me, and they have received them, and have known
surely, that I came out from thee, and they have believed that
thou didst send me ;" where Christ's manifesting God's name
to the disciples, or giving them the knowledge of God, was
that whereby they knew that Christ's doctrine was of God, and
that Christ himself proceeded from him, and was sent by him.
Again, John xii. 44, 45, 46. "Jesus cried, and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me but on him that sent
me. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. I am
come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me,
should not abide in darkness." Their believing in Christ, and
spiritually seeing him, are parallel.
Christ condemns the Jews, that they did not know that
he was the Messiah, and that his doctrine was true, from an
inward distinguishing taste and relish of what was divine, in
Luke xii. 56, 57. He having there blamed the Jews, that,
though they could discern the face of the sky and of the earth,
and signs of the weather, that yet they could not discern those
times — or, as it is expressed in Matthew, the signs of those
times — adds, "• yea, and why even of your ownselves, judge
ye not what is right?" i. e. without extrinsic signs. Why have
ye not that sense of true excellency, whereby ye may distin-
guish that which is holy and divine 1 Why have ye not that
savour of the things of God, by which you may see the distin-
guishing glory, and evident divinity of me and my doctrine?
The apostle Peter mentions it as what gave him and his
companions good and well-grounded assurance of the truth of
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light, 183
the gospel, that they had seen the divine glory of Christ.
2 Pet. i. 16. " For we have not followed cunningly-devised
fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his ma-
jesty." The apostle has respect to that visible glory of Christ
which they saw in his iransliguration. That glory was so
divine, having such an ineffable appearance and semblance of
divine holiness, majesty, and grace, that it evidently denoted
him to be a divine person. But if a sight of Christ's outward
glory might give a rational assurance of his divinity, why may
not an apprehension of his spiritual glory do so too ? Doubtless
Christ's spiritual glory is in itself as distinguishing, and as plainly
shows his divinity, as his outward glory, — nay, a great deal more,
for his spiritual glory is that wherein his divinity consists ; and
the outward glory of his transfiguration showed him to be divine,
only as it was a remarkable image or representation of that spi-
ritual glory. Doubtless, therefore, he that has had a clear sight
of the spiritual glory of Christ, may say, I have not followed
cunningly-devised faJjles, but have been an eye-witness of his
majesty, upon as good grounds as the apostle, when he had res-
pect to the outward glory of Christ that he had seen. But
this brings me to what was proposed next, viz. to show that.
Secondly, This doctrine is rational.
1 . It is rational to suppose, that there is really such an ex-
cellency in divine things — so transcendent and exceedingly diffe-
rent from what is in other things — that if it were seen, would
most evidently distinguish them. We cannot rationally doubt
but that things divine, which appertain to the supreme Being,
are vastly different from things that are human ; that there is a
high, glorious, and god-like excellency in them, that does most
remarkably difference them from the things that are of men ;
insomuch that if the difference were but seen, it would have a
convincing, satisfying influence upon any one, that they are di-
vine. What reason can be offered against it ? unless we would
argue, that God is not remarkably distinguished in glory from
men.
If Christ should now appear to any one as he did on the
mount at his transfiguration ; or if he should appear to the world
in his heavenly glory, as he will do at the day of judgment ;
without doubt, his glory and majesty would be such as would
satisfy every one, that he was a divine person, and that his reli-
gion was true : and it would be a most reasonable, and well
grounded conviction too. And why may there not be that stamp
of divinity, or divine glory on the word of God, on the scheme
and doctrine of the gospel, that may be in like manner distin-
guishing and as rationally convincing, provided it be but seen ?
It is rational to suppose, that when God speaks to the world.
184 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
there should be something in his word vastly different from
men's word. Supposing that God never had spoken to the
world, but we had notice that he w ^s about to reveal himself
from heaven, and speak to us immediately himself, or that he
should give us a book of his own inditing ; after what manner
should we expect that he would speak ? Would it not be ration-
al to suppose, that his speech would be exceeding different
from men's speech, that there should be such an excellency
and sublimity in his word, such a stamp of wisdom, holiness,
majesty, and other divine perfections, that the word of men, yea
of the wisest of men, should appear mean and base in compari-
son of it? Doubtless it would be thought rational to expect
this, and unreasonable to think otherwise. When a wise man
speaks in the exercise of his wisdom, there is something in
every thing he says, that is very distinguishable from the talk of
a little child. So, without doubt, and much more is the speech
of God, to be distinguished from that of the wisest of men ;
agreeable to Jer. xxiii. 28, 29. God having there been repro-
ving the false prophets that prophesied in his name, and pre-
tended that what they spake was his word, when indeed it was
their own word, says, " The prophet that hath a dream, let him
tell a dream ; and he that hath my word^ let him speak my word
faithfully: what is the chaff to the wheat ? saith the Lord. Is
not my word like as a fire ? saith the Lord : and like a hammer
that breaketh the rock in pieces ?"
2. If there be such a distinguishing excellency in divine
things ; it is rational to suppose that there may be such a thing
as seeing it. What should hinder but that it may be seen '(
It is no argument, that there is no such distinguishing excel-
lency, or that it cannot be seen, because some do not see it,
though they may be discerning men in temporal matters.
It is not rational to suppose, if there be any such excellency
in divine things, that wicked men should see it. Is it rational
to suppose, that those whose minds are full of spiritual pollu-
tion, and under the power of filthy lusts, should have any
relish or sense of divine beauty or excellency ; or that their
minds should be susceptive of that light that is in its own nature
so pure and heavenly ? It need not seem at all strange, that
sin should so blind the mind, seeing that men's particular
natural tempers and dispositions will so much blind them
in secular matters ; as when men's natural temper is melan-
choly, jealous, fearful, proud, or the like.
3. It is rational to suppose, that this knowledge should be
given immediately by God, and not be obtained by natural
means. Upon what account should it seem unreasonable, that
there should be any immediate communication between God
and the creature ? It is strange, that men should make any
matter of difficulty of it. Why should not he that made all
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light, 185
things, still have something immediately to do with the things
that he has made ? Where lies the great difficulty, if we own
the being of a God, and that he created all things out of no-
thing, of allowing some immediate influence of God on the
creation still ? And if it be reasonable to suppose it with re-
spect to any part of the creation, it is especially so with re-
spect to reasonable, intelligent creatures ; who are next to God
in the gradation of the different orders of beings, and whose
business is most immediately with God ; and reason teaches,
that man was made to serve and glorify his Creator. And if
it be rational to suppose, that God immediately communicates
himself to man in any affair, it is in this. It is rational to
suppose, that God would reserve that knowledge and wisdom,
which is of such a divine and excellent nature, to be bestowed
immediately by himself; and that it should not be left in the
power of second causes. Spiritual wisdom and grace is the
highest and most excellent gift that ever God bestows on any
creature : in this, the highest excellency and perfection of a
rational creature consists. It is also immensely the most im-
portant of all divine gifts : it is that wherein man's happiness
consists, and on which his everlasting welfare depends. How
rational is it to suppose that God, however he has left lower
gifts to second causes, and in some sort in their power, yet
should reserve this most excellent, divine, and important of all
divine communications, in his own hands, to be bestowed im-
mediately by himself, as a thing too great for second causes to
be concerned in. It is rational to suppose, that this blessing
should be immediately from God, for there is no gift or benefit
that is in itself so nearly related to the divine nature. No-
thing which the creature receives, is so much a participation
of the Deity; it is a kind of emanation of God's beauty, and is
related to God as the light is to the sun. It is, therefore, con-
gruous and fit, that when it is given of God, it should be imme-
diately from himself, and by himself, according to his own so-
vereign will.
It is rational to suppose, that it sliould be beyond man's
power to obtain this light, by the mere strength of natural
reason ; for it is not a thing that belongs to reason, to see the
beauty and loveliness of spiritual things ; it is not a specula-
tive thing, but depends on the sense of the heart. Reason,
indeed, is necessary, in order to it, as it is by reason only that
we are become the subjects of the means of it ; which means,
I have already shown to be necessary in order to it, though
they have no proper causal influence in the affair. It is by
reason that we become possessed of a notion of those doctrines
that are the subject matter of this divine light, or knowledge ;
and reason may many Avays be indirectly and remotely an ad-
vantage to it. Reason has also to do in the acts that are im-
voL. vr. 54
186 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
mediately consequent on this discovery : for, seeing the truth
of religion from hence, is by reason ; though it be but by one
step, and the inference be immediate. So reason has to do in
that accepting of, and trusting in Christ, that is consequent on
it. But if we take reason strictly — not for the faculty of men-
tal perception in general, but for ratiocination, or a power of
inferring by arguments — the perceiving of spiritual beauty and
excellency no more belongs to reason than it belongs to the
sense of feeling to perceive colours, or to the power of seeing
to perceive the sweetness of food. It is out of reason's pro-
vince to perceive the beauty or loveliness of any thing : such
a perception does not belong to that faculty. Reason's work
is to perceive truth and not excellency. It is not ratiocination
that gives men the perception of the beauty and amiableness of
a countenance, though it may be many ways indirectly an ad-
vantage to it ; yet it is no more reason that immediately per-
ceives it, than it is reason that perceives the sweetness of honey :
it depends on the sense of the heart. Reason may determine
that a countenance is beautiful to others, it may determine that
honey is sweet to others ; but it will never give me a perception
of its sweetness.
I will conclude with a very brief improvement of what
has been said.
Fhst, This doctrine may lead us to reflect on the good-
ness of God, that has so ordered it, that a saving evidence of
the truth of the gospel is such, as is attainable by persons of
mean capacities and advantages, as well as those that are of
the greatest parts and learning. If the evidence of the gospel
depended only on history, and such reasonings as learned men
only are capable of, it would be above the reach of far the
greatest part of mankind. But persons with an ordinary
degree of knowledge, are capable, without a long and subtile
train of reasoning, to see the divine excellency of the things
of rehgion : they are capable of being taught by the Spirit of
God, as well as learned men. The evidence that is this way
obtained, is vastly better and more satisfying, than all that
can be obtained by the arguings of those that are most learn-
ed, and greatest masters of reason. And babes are as capa-
ble of knowing these things, as the wise and prudent; and
they are often hid from these, when they are revealed to
those. 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. For ye see your calling, brethren,
how that not many wise men, after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world." —
Secondly. This doctrine may well put us upon examining
ourselves, whether we have ever had this divine light let into
our souls. If there be such a thing, doubtless it is of great
importance whether we have thus been taught by the Spirit of
SER. XVI. The Reality of spiritual Light, 187
God ; whether the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, hath shined unto us, giving us the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ ; whether we have seen the Son, and believed on him,
or have that faith of gospel doctrines which arises from a
spiritual sight of Christ.
Thirdly. All may hence be exhorted, earnestly to seek
this spiritual light. To influence and move to it, the following
things may be considered.
1. This is the most excellent and divine wisdom that any
creature is capable of. It is more excellent than any human
learning ; it is far more excellent than all the knowledge of
the greatest philosophers or statesmen. Yea, the least
glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Christ doth more
exalt and ennoble the soul, than all the knowledge of those
that have the greatest speculative understanding in divinity
without grace. This knowledge has the most noble object
that can be, viz. the divine glory and excellency of God and
Christ. The knowledge of these objects is that wherein con-
sists the most excellent knowledge of the angels, yea, of God
himself.
2. This knowledge is that which is above all others sweet
and joyful. Men have a great deal of pleasure in human
knowledge, in studies of natural things ; but this is nothing
to that joy which arises from this divine light shining into the
soul. This light gives a view of those things that are
immensely the most exquisitely beautiful, and capable of
delighting the eye of the understanding. This spiritual light
is the dawning of the light of glory in the heart. There is
nothing so powerful as this to support persons in affliction, and
to give the mind peace and brightness in this stormy and dark
world.
3. This hght is such as effectually influences the incli-
nation, and changes the nature of the soul. It assimilates our
nature to the divine nature, and changes the soul into an image
of the same glory that is beheld. 2 Cor. iii. 18. "But we all
with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord." This knowledge will wean from
the world, and raise the inclination to heavenly things. It
will turn the heart to God as the fountain of good, and to
choose him for the only portion. This light, and this only,
will bring the soul to a saving close with Christ. It conforms
the heart to the gospel, mortifies its enmity and opposition
against the scheme of salvation therein revealed ; it causes the
heart to embrace the joyful tidings, and entirely to adhere to,
and acquiesce in, the revelation of Christ as our Saviour ; it
causes the whole soul to accord and symphonize with it,
188 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
admitting it with entire credit and respect, cleaving to it with
full inclination and affection ; and it effectually disposes the
soul to give up itself entirely to Christ.
4. This light, and this only, has its fruit in an universal
holiness of life. No merely notional or speculative under-
standing of the doctrines of religion will ever bring to this.
But this light, as it reaches the bottom of the heart, and
changes the nature, so it will effectually dispose to an universal
obedience, it shows God as worthy to be obeyed and served.
It draws forth the heart in a sincere love to God, which is the
only principle of a true, gracious, and universal obedience :
and it convinces of the reality of those glorious rewards that
God has promised to them that obey him.
-?
SERMON XVII.*
THE church's marriage TO HER SONS AND TO HER GOD,
Isaiah lxii. 4, 5.
Thy land shall he married. For as a young man marrieth a
virgin^ so shall thy sons marry thee ; and as the bridegroom re-
joiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
In the midst of many blessed promises that God makes to
his church — in this and the preceding and following chapters
— of advancement to a state of great peace, comfort, honour,
and joy, after long continued affliction, we have the sum of all
contained in these two verses. In the 4th verse God says to his
church, " Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken ; neither
shall thy land any more be termed Desolate •, but thou shalt be
called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah ; for the Lord delighteth
in thee, and thy land shall be married." When it is said, " Thy
land shall be married," we are to understand " the body of thy
people, thy whole race ;" the land — rby a metonymy, very usual
in Scripture — being put for the people that inhabit the land. —
The 5th verse explains how this should be accomplished in two
things, viz. in being married to her sons, and married to her God,
I. It is promised that she should be married to her sons,
or that her sons should marry her: " For as a young man
marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee." Or, as the
words might have been more literally translated from the
original : " As a young man is married to a virgin, so shall
* Preached at the instalment' of the Rev. Samuel Buel, as Pastor of the
church and congregation at East Hampton, on Long Island, September 19,
1746.
190 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
thy sons be married to thee." Some by this understand a pro-
mise, that the posterity of the captivated Jews should return
again from Babylon to the land of Canaan, and should be,
as it were, married or wedded to their own land ; i. e. they
should be re-united to their own land, and should have great
comfort and joy in it, as a young man in a virgin that he
marries. But when it is said, " So shall thy sons marry thee,"
God does not direct his speech to the land itself, but to the
church whose land it was ; the pronoun ihee being applied to
the same mystical person in this former part of the verse,
as in the words immediately following in the latter part of the
same sentence, " And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the
bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." It is the church,
and not the hills and valleys of the land of Canaan, that is
God's bride, or the Lamb's wife. It is also manifest, that
when God says, " So shall thy sons marry thee," he continues
to speak to her to whom he had spoken in the three preceding
verses ; but there it is not the land of Canaan, but the church,
that he speaks to when he says, " The Gentiles shall see thy
righteousness, and all kings thy glory : and thou shalt be
called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall
name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of
the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou
shalt no more be termed Forsaken," Szc. And to represent
the land itself as a bride, and the subject of espousals and
marriage, would be a figure of speech very unnatural, and
not known in scripture ; but for the church of God to be thus
represented is very usual from the beginning to the end of the
Bible. And then it is manifest that the return of (he Jews to
the land of Canaan from the Babylonish captivity, is not the
event mainly intended by the prophecy of which these words
are a part. That was not the time fulfilled in the 2d verse of
this chapter. " And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness,
and all kings thy glory ; and thou shalt be called by a new
name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." That was
not the time spoken of in the preceding chapters, with which
this chapter is one continued prophecy. That was not the
time spoken of in the last words of the foregoing chapter,
when the Lord would cause righteousness and praise to spring
forth before all nations : nor was it the time spoken of in the
5th, 6th, and 9th verses of that chapter, when " strangers
should stand and feed the flocks of God's people, and the sons
of the alien should be their ploughmen and vine-dressers ;
but they should be named the priests of the Lord, and men
should call them the ministers of God ; when they should eat
the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory boast themselves,
and their seed should be known among the Gentiles, and their
offspring among the people ; and all that should see th(?m
SER. XVII. The Church? s Marriage^ ire. 191
should acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the
Lord hath blessed." Nor was that the time spoken of in the
chapter preceding that, " when the abundance of the sea
should be converted unto the church ; when the isles should
wait for God, and the ships of Tarshish to bring her sons from
far, and their silver and gold with them ; when the forces of
the Gentiles, and their kings, should be brought ; when the
church should suck the milk of the Gentiles, and suck the
breast of kings ; and when that nation and kingdom that would
not serve her, should perish, and be utterly wasted : and when
the sun should be no more her light by day, neither for bright-
ness should the moon give light unto her, but the Lord should
be unto her an everlasting light, and her God her glory ; and
her sun should no more go down, nor her moon withdraw it-
self, because the Lord should be her everlasting light, and the
days of her mourning should be ended." These things mani-
festly have respect to the Christian church, in her most perfect
and glorious state on earth, in the last ages of the world ; when
the church should be so far from being confined to the land of
Canaan, that she should fill the whole earth, and all lands should
be alike holy.
These words in the text, " As a young man marrieth a
virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee," I choose rather, with
others, to understand as expressive of the church's union with
her faithful pastors, and the great benefits she should receive
from them. God^s ministers, though they are set to be the in-
structors, guides, and fathers of God's people, yet are also the
sons of the church; Amos ii. 11. "I raised up of your sons
for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites." Such as
these, when faithful, are those precious sons of Zion, compara-
ble to fine gold, spoken of, Lam. iv. 2. 7. "" Her Nazarites
were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk. And as he
that marries a young virgin, becomes the guide of her youth,
so these sons of Zion are represented as taking her by the hand
as her guide, Isaiah li. 18. "There is none to guide her
among all the sons whom she hath brought forth : neither is
there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she
hath brought up." That by these sons of the church is meant
ministers of the gospel, is confirmed by the next verse to the
text, " I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem."
That the sons of the church should be married to her as a
young man to a virgin, is a mystery not unlike many others
held forth in the word of God, concerning the relation be-
tween Christ and his people, and their relation to him and to
one another. Christ is David's Lord, and yet his son, and
both the root and offspring of David. Christ is a son born
and a child given, and yet the everlasting Father. The church
is Christ's mother, Cant. iii. 1 1 •, and viii. 1 ; and yet his
192 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
spouse, his sister, and his child. Believers are Christ's mother,
and yet his sister and brother. Ministers are the sons of the
church, and yet are her fathers. The apostle speaks of him-
self, as the father of the members of the church of Corinth,
and also the mother of the Galatians, travailing in birth with
them, Gal. iv. 19.
2. The second and chief fulfilment of the promise consists
in the church being married to Christ : " And, as the bride-
groom rejoiceih over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice
over thee." Not that we are to understand that the church
has many husbands, or that Christ is one husband, and minis-
ters are other husbands, strictly speaking. For though minis-
ters are here spoken of as being married to the church, yet it
is not as his competitors, or as standing in a conjugal relation
to his bride in any way parallel with his. For the church,
properly, has but one husband ; she is not an adultress, but a
virgin, who is devoted wholly to the Lamb, and who follows
him whithersoever he goes. But ministers espouse the church
entirely as Christ's ambassadors, as representing him, and
standing in his stead, being sent forth by him to be married to
her in his name, that by these means she may be married
to him. As when a prince marries a foreign lady by proxy,
the prince's ambassador marries her, but not in his own name,
but in the name of his master, that he may be the instrument
of bringing her into a true conjugal relation to him. This is
agreeable to what the apostle says, 2 Cor. xi. 2. '' I am
jealous over you with a godly jealousy ; for I have espoused
you to one husband, that 1 may present you as a chaste virgin
to Christ." Here the apostle represents himself as being, as it
were, the husband of the church of Corinth ; for it is the
husband that is jealous when the wife commits adultery ;
and yet he speaks of himself as having espoused them, not in
his own name, but in the name of Christ, and for him, and him
only, and as his ambassador, sent forth to bring them home a
chaste virgin to him. Ministers are in the text represented as
married to the church in the same sense that elsewhere they are
represented as fathers of the church. The church has but one
father, even God, and ministers are fathers as his ambassadors ;
so the church has but one shepherd, John x. 16. "There shall
be one fold and one shepherd ;" but yet ministers, as Christ's
ambassadors, are often called the church's shepherds or pastors.
The church has but one Saviour; but yet ministers, as his am-
bassadors and instruments, are called her saviours ; 1 Tim.
iv. 16. " In doing this thou shall both save thyself and them
that hear thee." Obad. 21. " And saviours -hall come upon
Mount Zion." The church has but one Priest; but yet in
Isaiah Ixvi. 21, speaking of the ministers of the Gentile nations,
it is said. " I will take of them for priests and Levites." The
bER. XVII. The Church's Marriage, J^c. 193
church has but one Judge, for the Father hath committed all
judgment to the Son ; yet Christ tells his apostles, that they
shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
When the text speaks first of ministers marrying the
church, and then of Christ's rejoicing over her as the
bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride ; the former is manifestly
spoken of as being in order to the latter ; even in order
to the joy and happiness that the church shall have in her
true bridegroom. The preaching of the gospel is in this
context spoken of three times successively, as the great
means of bringing about the prosperity and joy of the
church ; once, in the first verse, " For Zion's sake will I
not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not
rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness,
and the salvation thereof as a lamp that bnrneth •," and
then in the text ; and lastly in the two following verses,
" I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which
shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that make
mention of the Lord, keep not silence ; and give him no
rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth."
The text thus opened afiords these two propositions,
proper for our consideration on the solemn occasion of this
day.
I. The uniting of faithful ministers with Christ's people
in the ministerial office, when done in a due manner, is like a
young man's marrying a virgin.
II. This union of ministers with the people of Christ is in
order to their being brought to the blessedness of a more
glorious union, in which Christ shall rejoice over them, as the
bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride.
I. Prop. The uniting of a faithful minister with Christ's
people in the ministerial office, when done in a due manner, is
like a young man's marrying a virgin.
I say, the uniting of a faithful minister with Christ's
people, and in a due manner ; for we must suppose that
the promise God makes to the church in the text, relates
to such ministers, and such a manner of union with the
church ; because this is promised to the church as a part
of her latter day glory, and as a benefit that should be
granted hf^r by God,'" as the fruit of his great love to her,
and an instance of her great spiritual prosperity and happiness
in her purest and most excellent state on earth. But it would
be no such instance of God's great favour and the church's
happiness, to have unfaithful ministers entering into office
in an undue and improper manner. They are evidently faith-
VoL, VI, 25
194 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
fill ministers that are spoken of in the next verse, where
the same are doubtless spoken of as in the text ; " I have set
watchmen on thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never
Jiold their peace day nor night." And they are those that
shall be introduced into the ministry at a time of its extra-
ordinary purity, order, and beauty, wherein (as is said in the
first, second, and third verses) her " righteousness should
go forth as brightness, and the Gentiles should see her
righteousness, and all kings her glory, and she should be
a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in
the hand of her God."
When I speak of the uniting of a faithful minister
with Christ's people in a due manner, I do not mean a
due manner only with regard to external order ; but its being
truly done in a holy manner, with sincere upright aims
and intentions, with a right disposition, and proper frames
of mind in those that are concerned ; and particularly in the
minister that takes office, and God's people to whom he
is united, each exercising in this affair a proper regard to
God and one another. — Such an uniting of a faithful minister
with the people of God in the ministerial office, is in some
respects like a young man marrying a virgin.
1. When a duly qualified person is properly invested with the
ministerial character, and does in a due manner take upon him
the sacred work and office of a minister of the gospel, he does,
in some sense, espouse the church of Christ in general. For,
though he do not properly stand in a pastoral relation to the
whole church of Christ through the earth, and is far from be-
coming an universal pastor ; yet thenceforward he has a different
concern with the church of Christ in general, and its interests
and welfare, than other persons have that are laymen, and should
be regarded otherwise by all the members of the Christian
church. Wherever he is providentially called to preach the
word of God, or minister in holy things, he ought to be received
as a minister of Christ, and the messenger of the Lord of Hosts
to them. And every one that takes on him this office as he
ought to do, espouses the church of Christ, as he espouses the
interest of the church in a manner that is peculiar. He is under
obligations, as a minister of the Christian Church, beyond other
men, to love the church, as Christ her true bridegroom hath
loved her, and to prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy, and to
imitate Christ, the great shepherd and bishop of souls, and hus-
band of the church, in his care and tender concern for her wel-
fare, and earnest and constant labours to promote it, as he has
opportunity. And as he, in taking office, devotes himself to the
service of Christ in his church ; so he gives himself to the church,
to be hers, in that love, tender care, constant endeavour, and
earnest labour for her provision, comfort, and welfare, that is
SER. xvn-; The Church's Marriage^ <^c, 195
proper to his office as a minister of Providence, as long as he
lives ; as a young man gives himself to a virgin when he marries
her. And the church of Christ in general, as constituted of
true saints through the world, (though they do not deliver up
themselves to any one particular minister, as universal pastor,
yet) cleave to and embrace the ministry of the church with en-
deared affection, high honour, and esteem, for Christ's sake.
They joyfully commit and subject themselves to them ; they
resolve to honour and help them, to be guided by them and help
them so long as in the world ; as the bride doth in marriage
deliver up herself to her husband. And the ministry in general,
or the whole number of faithful ministers, being all united in
the same work as fellow helpers to the grace of God, may be
considered as one mystical person, that espouses the church as
a young man espouses a virgin : as the many elders of the church
of Ephesus are represented as one mystical person. Rev. ii. 1,
and all called the angel of the church of Ephesus ; and as the
faithful ministers of Christ in general, all over the world, seem
to be represented as one mystical person, and called an angel,
Rev. xiv. 6. " And I saw another angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people." — But,
2. More especially is the uniting of a faithful minister with a
particular Christian people, as their pastor, when done in a due
manner, like a young man marrying a virgin- — It is so with
respect to the union itself, the concomitants of the union, and
the fruits of it.
(1.) The union itself ism several respects like that which is
between a young man and a virgin whom he marries.
It is so with respect to mutual regard and affection. A faith-
ful minister that is in a Christian manner united to a Christian
people as their pastor, has his heart united to them in the most
ardent and tender affection. And they, on the other hand, have
their hearts united to him, esteeming him very highly in love
for his works' sake, and receiving him with honour and reve-
rence, and willingly subjecting themselves to him, and commit-
ting themselves to his care, as being under Christ, their head
and guide.
And such a pastor and people are like a young man and vir-
gin united in marriage, with respect to the purity of their regard
one to another. The young man gives himself to his bride in
purity, as undebauched by meretricious embraces ; and she also
presents herself to him a chaste virgin. So in such an union of
a minister and people as we are speaking of, the parties united
are pure and holy in their affection and regard one to another.
The minister's heart is united to the people, not for filthy lucre
or any worldly advantage, but with a pure benevolence to them.
196 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
and desire of their spiritual welfare and prosperity, and compla-
cence in them as the children of God and followers of Christ
Jesus. And, on the other hand, they love and honour him with
a holy affection and esteem ; and not merely as having their
adrniration raised, and their carnal affection moved by having
their curiosity and other fleshly principles gratified by a florid
eloquence, and the excellency of speech and man's wisdom;
but receiving him as the messenger of the Lord ©f Hosts, coming
to them on a divine and infinitely important errand, and with
those holy qualifications that resemble the virtues of the Lamb
of God.
And as the bridegroom and bride give themselves to each
other in covenant ; so it is in that union we are speaking of be-
tween a faithful pastoi and a Christian people. The minister,
by solemn vows, devotes himself to the people, to improve his
time and strength, and spend and be spent for them so long as
God, in his providence, shall continue the union : and they,
on the other hand, in a holy covenant, commit the care of their
souls, and subject themselves to him.
(2.) The union between a faithful minister and a Christian
people, is like that between a young man and virgin in their
marriage, with respect to the concomitants of it.
When such a minister and such a people are thus united, it is
attended with great joy. The minister joyfully devoting himself
to the service of his Lord in the work of the ministry, as a work
that he delights in : and also joyfully uniting himself to the so-
ciety of the saints that he is set over, as having complacence in
them, for his dear Lord's sake, whose people they are ; and
willingly and joyfully, on Christ's call, undertaking the labours
and difficulties of the service of their souls. And they, on the
other hand, joyfully receiving him as a precious gift of their
ascended Redeemer. Thus a faithful minister and a Christian
people are each other's joy, Rom. xv. 32. " That I may come
unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be re-
freshed." 2 Cor. i. 14. "As you have acknowledged us in
part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye are ours."
Another concomitant of this union, wherein it resembles that
which becomes a young man and virgin united in marriage, is
mutual helpfulness, and a constant care and endeavour to pro-
mote each other's good and comfort. The minister earnestly
and continually seeks the profit and comfort of the souls of his
people, and to guard and defend them from every thing that
might annoy them, and studies and labours to promote their spi-
ritual peace and prosperity. They on the other hand, make it
their constant care to promote his comfort, to make the burden
of his difficult work easy, to avoid those things that might add
to the difficulty of it, and that might justly be grievous to his
heart. They do what in them lies to encourage his heart, and
SER. XVII. The ChurcWs Marriage, <Sfc. 197
strengthen his hands in his work ; and are ready to say to hini,
when called to exert himself in the more difficult parts of his
work, as the people of old to Ezra the priest, when they saw
him bowed down under the burden of a difficult affair, Ezra x.
4, "Arise, for this matter belongeth to thee : we, al?o, will be
with thee: Be of good courage, and doit." They spare no
pains nor cost to make their pastor's outward circumstances
easy and comfortable, and free from pinching necessities and
distracting cares, and to put him under the best advantages to
follow his great work fully and successfully.
Such a pastor and people, as it is between a couple hap-
pily united in a conjugal relation, have a mutual sympathy
with each other, a fellow-feeling of each other's burdens and
calamities, and a communion in each other's prosperity and
joy. When the people suffer in their spiritual interests, the
pastor suffers : he is afflicted when he sees their souls in trou-
ble and darkness : he feels their wounds : and he looks on
their prosperity and comfort as his own. 2 Cor. xi. 29. " Who
is weak, and I am not weak ? who is offended, and I burn
not ?" 2 Cor. vii. 1 3. " We were comforted in your comfort."
And, on the other hand, the people feel their pastor's burdens,
and rejoice in his prosperity and consolations ; see Phil. iv. 14,
and 2 Cor. ii. 3.
(3.) This union is like that which is between a young man
and a virgin in li?, fruits.
One fruit of it is mutual benefit : They become meet
helps one for another. The people receive great benefit by
the minister, as he is their teacher to communicate spiritual
instructions and counsels to them, and is set to watch over
them, to defend them from those enemies and calamities they
are liable to ; and so is, under Christ, to be both their guide
and guard, as the husband is of the wife . And, as the husband
provides the wife with food and clothing, so the pastor, as
Christ's steward, makes provision for his people, and brings
forth out of his treasure things new and old, gives every one
his portion of meat in due season, and is made the instrument
of spiritually clothing and adorning their souls. And, on the
other hand, the minister receives benefit from the people,
as they minister greatly to his spiritual good by that holy
converse to which their union to him as his tlork leads them.
The conjugal relation leads the persons united therein to the
most intimate acquaintance and conversation with each other;
so the union there is between a faithful pastor and a Christian
people, leads them to intimate conversation about things of a
spiritual nature. It leads the people most freely and fully
to open the case of their souls to the pastor, and leads him to
deal most freely, closely, and thoroughly with them, in things
pertaining thereto. And this coaversation not only tends to
198 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS,
their benefit, but, also, greatly to his. And the pastor receives
benefit from the people outwardly, as they take care of, and
order his outward accommodations for his support and com-
fort? and do, as it were, spread and serve his table for him.
Another fruit of this union, wherein it resembles the con-
jugal, is a spiritual offspring. There is wont to arise from the
union of such a pastor and people, a spiritual race of children.
These new-born children of God are, in the Scripture, repre-
sented both as the children of ministers, as those who have be-
gotten them through the gospel; and, also, as the children of
the church, who is represented as their mother that hath
brought them forth, and at whose breasts they are nourished ;
as in Isa. liv. 1, and Ixvi. II. Gal. iv. 26. 1 Pet. ii. 2, and
many other places.
Having thus briefly shown, how the uniting of faithful mi-
nisters with Christ's people, in the ministerial office, when done
in a due manner, is like a young man marrying a virgin, I pro-
ceed now to the
II. Prop. viz. That this union of ministers with the peo-
ple of Christ, is in order to their being brought to the blessed-
ness of a more glorious union, in which Christ shall rejoice
over them as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride.
1. The saints are, and shall be, the subjects of this bles-
sedness. Of all the various kinds of union, of sensible and
temporal things that are used in Scripture, to represent the re-
lation there is between Christ and his church ; that which is
between bridegroom and bride, or husband and wife, is much
the most frequently made use of, both in the Old and New^
Testament. The Holy Ghost seems to take a peculiar delight
in this, as a similitude fit to represent the strict, intimate, and
blessed union that is between Christ and his saints. The
apostle intimates, that one end why God appointed marriage,
and established so near a relation as that between husband and
wife, was, that it might be a type of the union that is between
Christ and his church ; in Eph. v. 30, 31, 32 — "For we are
members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this
cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be
joined to his wife ; and they two shall be one flesh." For this
cause, i. e. because we are members of Christ's body, of his
flesh and of his bones, God appointed that man and wife should
be so joined together, as to be one flesh, to represent this high
and blessed union between Christ and his church. The apos-
tle explains himself in the next words, " This is a great myste-
ry, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." This in-
stitution of marriage, making the man and his wife one flesh,
is a great mystery ; i. e. there is a great and glorious mystery
hid in the design of it : and the apostle tells us what that glo-
I
SER. xvir. The Church? s Marriage, 6fc, 199
rious mystery is^ — " I speak concerning Christ and the church'/'
as much as to say, the mystery I speak of, is that blessed union
that is between Christ and his church, which 1 spoke of before.
This is a blessed union indeed ; of which that between a
faithful minister and a Christian people is but a shadow. Mi-
nisters are not the proper husbands of the church, though their
union to God's people, as Christ's ambassadors, in several
respects resembles the conjugal relation : but Christ is the
true husband of the church, to whom the souls of the saints
are espoused indeed, and to whom they are united as his flesh
and his bones, yea, and one spirit ; to whom they have given
themselves in an everlasting covenant, and whom "alone they
cleave to, love, honour, obey, and trust in, as their spiritual
husband, whom alone they reserve themselves for as chaste
virgins, and whom they follow whithersoever he goeth. There
are many ministers in the church of Christ, and there may be
several pastors of one particular church ; but the church has
but one husband, all others are rejected and despised in com-
parison of him ; he is among the sons as the apple-tree among
the trees of the wood ; they all are barren and worthless, he
only is the fruitful tree ; and therefore, leaving all others, the
church betakes herself to him alone, and sits under his shadow
with great delight, and his fruit is sweet to her taste; she
takes up her full and entire rest in him, desiring no other. —
The relation between a minister and people shall be dissolved,
and may be dissolved before death ; but the union between
Christ and his church shall never be dissolved, neither before
death nor by death, but shall endure through all eternity ;
" The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed ; but
Christ's conjugal love and kindness shall not depart from his
church ; neither shall the covenant of his peace, the marriage-
covenant, be removed." Isa. liv. 1. — The union between a
faithful minister and a Christian people is but a partial resem-
blance even of the marriage union ; it is like marriage only in
some particulars : but with respect to the union between Christ
and his church, marriage is but a partial resemblance, yea, a
faint shadow. Every thing desirable and excellent in the union
between an earthly bridegroom and bride, is to be found in the
union between Christ and his church ; and that in an infinitely
greater perfection and more glorious manner. — There is infi-
nitely more to be found in it than ever was found between the
happiest couple in a conjugal relation ; or could be found if the
bride and bridegroom had not only the innocence of Adam and
Eve, but the perfection of angels.
Christ and his saints, standing in such a relation as this one
to another, the saints must needs be unspeakably happy. Their
mutual joy in each other is answerable to the nearness of their
relation and strictness of their union. Christ rejoices over the
200 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
ehurch as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, and she re-
joices in him as the bride rejoices in the bridegroom. My text
has respect to the mutual joy that Christ and his church should
have in each other: for though the joy of Christ over his church
only is me/itioned, yet it is evident that this is here spoken of
and promised as the great happiness of the church, and therefore
supposes her joy in him.
The mutual joy of Christ and his church is like that of
bridegroom and bride, in that they rejoice in each other, as those
whom they have chosen above others, for their nearest, most
intimate, and everlasting friends and companions. The church
is Christ's chosen, Isa. xli. 9. " I have chosen thee, and not cast
thee away ?" chap, xlviii. 10. "I have chosen thee in the fur-
nace of affliction.'" How often are God's saints called his elect
or chosen ones ? He has chosen them, not to be mere servants,
but friends; John xv. 15. ''I call you not servants; — but I
have called you friends." And though Christ be the I^ord of
glory, infinitely above men and angels, yet he has chosen the
elect to be his companions ; and has taken upon him their nature ;
and so iu some respect, as it were, levelled himself with them,
that he might be their brother and companion. Christ, as well
as David, calls the saints his brethren and companions, Psalm
cxxii. 8. " For my brethren and companions' sake I will now
say, Peace be within thee." So in the book of Canticles, he
calls his church his sister and spouse. Christ hath loved and
chosen his church as his peculiar friend, above others ; Psalm
cxxxv. 4. " The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and.
Israel for his peculiar treasure." As the bridegroom chooses
the bride for his peculiar friend, above all others in the world ;
so Christ has chosen his church for a peculiar nearness to him,
as his flesh and his bone, and the high honour and dignity of
espousals above all others, rather than the fallen angels, yea,
rather than the elect angels. For verily, in this respect, " he
taketh not hold of angels, but he taketh hold of the seed of
Abraham ;" as the words are in the original, Heb. ii. 16. He
has choseti his church above the rest of mankind, above all the
Heathen nations, and those that are without the visible church,
and above all other professing Christians, Cant. vi. 9. ''My
dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mo-
ther, she is the choice one of her that bare her." Thus Christ
rejoices over his church, as having obtained in her that which
he has chosen above all the rest of the creation, and as sweetly
resting in his choice ; Psalm cxxxii. 13, 14. " The Lord hath
chosen Zion ; he hath desired it. — This is my rest for ever."
On the other hand, the church chooses Christ above all
others ; he is in her eyes the chief among ten housands, fairer
than the sons of men : she rejects the suit of all his rivals, for his
sake : her heart relinquishes the whole world 5 he is her pearl of
SER. XV XI. The Church's Marriage^ <!lfc. 201
great price, for which she parts with all ; and rejoices in him, as
the choice and rest of her soul.
Christ and his church, like the bridegroom and bride, re-
joice in each other, as having a special propriety in each other.
All things are Christ's; but he has a special propriety in his
church. There is nothing in heaven or earth, among all the
creatures, that is his, in that high and excellent manner that
the church is his : They are often called his portion and inhe-
ritance ; they are said, Rev. xiv. 4, to be " the first-fruits to
God and the Lamb." As of old, the first-fruit was that part of
the harvest that belonged to God, and was to be offered to him;
so the saints are the first fruits of God's creatures, being that
part which is in a peculiar manner Christ's portion, above all
the rest of the creation, James i. 18. "Of his own will begat
he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-
fruits of his creatures." And Christ rejoices in his church, as
in that which is peculiarly his, Isa. Ixv. 19. "I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy in my people." The church has also a pe-
culiar propriety in Christ: though other things are hers, yet
nothing is hers in that manner that her spiritual bridegroom is
hers. Great and glorious as he is, yet he, with all his dignity
and glory, is wholly given to her, to be fully possessed and enjoyed
by her, to the utmost degree that she is capable of : therefore
we have her so often saying in the language of exultation and
triumph, " My beloved is mine, and I am his." Cant. ii. 16.
and vi. 3. and vii. 10.
Christ and his church, like the bridegroom and bride, re-
joice in each other, as those that are the objects of each other's
most tender and ardent love. The love of Christ to his church
is altogether unparalleled : the height and depth and length and
breadth of it pass knowledge : for he loved the church, and
gave himself for it; and his love to her proved stronger than
death. And on the other hand, she loves him with a supreme
affection : nothing stands in competition with him in her heart ;
she loves him with all her heart. Her whole soul is offered up
to him in the flame of love. And Christ rejoices, and has sweet
rest and delight in his love to the church ; Zeph. iii. 17, " The
Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy : he will rest in his love, he will
joy over thee with singing." So the church, in the exercise of
her love to Christ, rejoices with unspeakable joy ; 1 Pet. i. 7,
8. "Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom,
though now ye see him not, yet believe him, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable, and full of glory."
Christ and his church rejoice in each other's beauty. The
church rejoices in Christ's divine beauty and glory. She as it
were, sweetly solaces herself in the light of the glory of the sun
Vol. VL 26
202 -TWENTY SEUMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
of righteousness ; and the saints say one to another, as in ha^
ii. 5, " O house of Jacob, come ye, let us walk in the light ot
the Lord." The perfections and virtues of Christ are as a
perfumed ointment to the church, that make his very name to
be to her as ointment poured forth; Cant. i. 3. "Because of
the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment
poured forth; therefore do the virgins love thee." And Christ
delights and rejoices in the beauty of the church, the beauty
which he hath put upon her : her Christian graces are orna-
ments of great price in his sight, 1 Pet. iii. 4. And he is
spoken of as greatly desiring her beauty. Psalm xlv. 11. Yea,
he himself speaks of his heart as ravished with her beauty,
Cant. iv. 9. " Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my
spouse ; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes,
with one chain of thy neck."
Christ and his church, as the bridegroom and bride, re-
joice in each other's love. Wine is spoken of, Psalm civ. 15,
as that which maketh glad man's heart : but the church of
Clirist is spoken of as rejoicing in the love of Christ, as that
which is more pleasant and refreshing than wine, Cant. i. 4.
" The king hath brought me into his chambers : we will be glad
and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine."
So on the other hand, Christ speaks of the church's love as
far better to him than wine. Cant. iv. 10. "How fair is thy
love, my sister, my spouse ; how much better is thy love than
wine!"
Christ and his church rejoice in communion with each
other as in being united in their happiness, and having fellow-
ship and a joint participation in each other's good : as the bride-
groom and bride rejoice together at the wedding-feast, and as
thenceforward they are joint partakers of each other's comforts
and joys : Rev. iii. 20. " If any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with
me." The church has fellowship with Christ in his own happi-
ness, and his divine entertainments ; his joy is fulfilled in her,
John XV. 11. and xvii. 13. She sees light in his light ; and she
is made to drink at the river of his own pleasures, Psalm xxxvi.
8, 9. And Christ brings her to eat and drink at his own table,
(o take her fill of his own entertainments; Cant. v. 1. " Eat,
O friends ; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." And he,
on the other hand, has fellowship with her ; he feasts with her;
her joys are his ; and he rejoices in that entertainment that she
provides for him. So Christ is said to feed among the lilies,
Cant. ii. 16; and chap. vii. 13, she speaks of all manner of
pleasant fruits, new and old, which she had laid up ; and says
to him, chap. iv. 16, " Let my beloved come into his garden,
and eat his pleasant fruits;" and he makes answer in the next
SER. XVII. The ChurcJi's Marriage, ija". 203
verse, " I come into my garden, my sister, my spouse ; I have
gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honeycomb
with my honey, 1 have drunk my wine with my milk."
And lastly, Christ and his church, as the bridegroom and
bride, rejoice in conversing with each other. The words of
Christ, by which he converses with his church, are most sweet
to her; and, therefore, she says of him, Cant. v. 16, "His
mouth is most sweet." And, on the other hand, he says of
her, chapter ii. 14, "Let me hear thy voice : for sweet is
thy voice." And chapter iv. 11, " Thy lips, O my spouse,
drop as the honey-comb : honey and milk arc under thy
tongue."
Christ rejoices over his saints, as the bridegroom over the
bride, at all times : but there are some seasons wherein he doth
so more especially. Such a season is the time of the soul's
conversion ; when the good shepherd finds his lost sheep, then
he brings it home rejoicing, and calls together his friends and
neighbours, saying. Rejoice with me. The day of a sinner's
conversion, is the day of Christ's espousals ; and so is eminently
the day of his rejoicing; Sol. Song, iii. 1 1. "Go forth, O ye
daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown
wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals,
and in the day of the gladness of his heart." And it is often-
times remarkably the day of the saints' rejoicing in Christ :
for then God turns again the captivity of his elect people, and,
as it were, fills their mouth with laughter, and their tongue
with singing ; as in Psalm cxxvi. at the beginning. We read
of the jailer, that when he was converted, " he rejoiced, be-
lieving in God, with all his house," Acts xvi. 34. There are
other seasons of special communion of the saints with Christ,
wherein Christ doth, in an especial manner, rejoice over his
saints, and, as their bridegroom, brings them into his chambers,
that they also, may be glad, and rejoice in him. Cant. i. 4.
But this mutual rejoicing of Christ, and his saints, will be
in its perfection, at the time of the saints' glorification with
Christ in heaven : for that is the proper time of the saints'
entering in with the bridegroom into the marriage, Matt. xxv.
10. The saints' conversion is rather like the betrothing of
the intended bride to her bridegroom before they come toge-
ther; but at the time of the saints' glorification, that shall be
fulfilled in Psalm xlv. 15. " With gladness and rejoicing shall
they be brought; they shall enter into the king's palace."
That is the time when those whom Christ loved, and for whom
he gave himself — that he might sanctify and cleanse them, as
with the washing of water by the word — shall be presented to
him in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.
Then the church shall be brought to the full enjoyment of her
bridegroom, having all tears wiped away from her eyes ; and
204 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
there shall be no more distance or absence. She shall then b<;
brought to the entertainments of an eternal wedding- feast, and
to dwell for ever with her bridegroom ; yea, to dwell eternally
in his embraces. Then Christ will give her his loves ; and
she shall drink her fill, yea, she shall swim in the ocean of his
love.
And, as there are various seasons wherein Christ, and par-
ticular saints do more especially rejoice in each other ; so there
are, also, certain seasons wherein Christ doth more especially
rejoice over his church, collectively taken. Such a season is
a time of remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God : it is a
time of the espousals of many souls to Christ ; and so of the
joy of espousals. It is a time wherein Christ is wont more
especially to visit his saints with his loving-kindness, and to
bring them near to himself, and especially to refresh their
hearts ^yith divine communications : on which account, it be-
comes a time of great joy to the church of Christ. So when
the Spirit of God was so wonderfully poured out on the city of
Samaria, with the preaching of Philip, we read that " there was
great joy in that city," Acts viii. 8. And the time of that
wonderful effusion of the Spirit at Jerusalem, begun at the
feast of Pentecost, was a time of holy feasting and rejoicing, and
a kind of wedding-day to the church of Christ ; wherein " they
continuing daily, with one accord, in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness,
and singleness of heart," Acts ii. 46.
But more especially is the time of that great out-pouring
of the Spirit of God in the latter days, so often foretold in the
scriptures, represented as the marriage of the Lamb, and the
rejoicing of Christ and his church in each other, as the bride-
groom and the bride. This is the time prophesied of in our
text and context ; and foretold in Isa. Ixv. 19. "I will rejoice
in Jerusalem, and joy in my people ; and the voice of weep-
ing shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying."
This is the time spoken of Rev. xix. 6, 7, 8, 9 ; where the
apostle John tells us, he " heard as it were the voice of a great
multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice
of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia : for the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give
honour to him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and
his wife hath made herself ready." And adds, " To her was
granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white ; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And
he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called
unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb."
But above all, the time of Christ's last coming is that of the
consummation of the church's marriage with the Lamb, and of
the complete and most perfect joy of the wedding. In that
•SER. XVII. The Church's Marriage, i^c- 20o
resurrection-morning, when the Sun of righteousness shall ap-
pear in our heavens, shining in all his brightness and glory, he
will come forth as a bridegroom ; he shall come in the glory of
his Father, with all his holy angels. And at that glorious ap-
pearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, shall
the whole elect church, complete as to every individual mem-
ber, and each member with the whole man, both body and soul,
and both in perfect glory, ascend up to meet the Lord in the
air, to be thenceforth for ever with the Lord. That will be in-
deed a joyful meeting of this glorious bridegroom and bride.
Then the bridegroom will appear in all his glory without any
veil : and then the saints shall shine forth as the sun in the king-
dom of their Father, and at the right hand of their Redeemer;
and then the church will appear as the bride, the Lamb's wife.
It is the state of the church after the resurrection, that is spoken
of Rev. xxi. 2. " And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusa-
lem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband." And verse 9. " Come hither, I
will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Then will come
the time, when Christ will sweetly invite his spouse to enter in
with him into the palace of his glory, which he had been pre-
paring for her from the foundation of the world, and shall, as it
were, take her by the hand, and lead her in with him : and this
glorious bridegroom and bride shall, with all their shining orna-
ments, ascend up together into the heaven of heavens ; the
whole multitude of glorious angels waiting upon them : and this
son and daughter of God shall, in their united glory and joy,
present themselves together before the Father ; when Christ
shall say, " Here am I, and the children which thou hast given
me ;" And they both shall in that relation and union, together
receive the Father's blessing ; and shall thenceforward rejoice
together, in consummate, uninterrupted, immutable, and ever-
lasting glory, in the love and embraces of each other, and joint
enjoyment of the love of the Father.
2. That forementioned union of faithful ministers with the
people of Christ, is in order to this blessedness.
(1.) It is only with reference to Christas the true bridegroom
of his church, that there is any union between a faithful minis-
ter and a Christian people, that is like that of a bridegroom and
bride.
As I observed before, a faithful minister espouses a Christian
people, not in his own name, but as Christ's ambassador ; he
espouses them, that therein they may be espoused to Christ.
He loves her with a tender conjugal affection, as she is the
spouse of Christ, and as he, as the minister of Christ, has his
heart under the influence of the spirit of Christ ; as Abraham's
faithful servant, that was sent to fetch a wife for his master's
son, was captivated with Rebekah's beauty and virtue ; but not
206 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
with reference to an union with himself, but with his master
Isaac. It was for his sake he loved her, and it was for him that
he desired her. He set his heart upon her, that she might be
Isaac's wife ; and it was for this that he greatly rejoiced over
her, for this he wooed her, and for this he obtained her, and she
was for a season, in a sense united to him ; but it was as a fel-
low-traveller, that by bim she might be brought to Isaac in the
land of C inaan. For this he adorned her with ornaments of
gold ; it was to prepare her for Isaac's embraces. All that ten-
der care which a faithful minister takes of his people as a kind
of spiritual husband — to provide for them, to lead, and feed, and
comfort them — is not as to his own bride, but his master's.
And on the other hand, the people receive him, unite them-
selves to him in covenant, honour him, subject themselves to
him, and obey him, only for Christ's sake, and as one that re-
presents him, and acts in his name towards them. All this love,
and honour, and submission, is ultimately referred to Christ.
Thus the apostle says, Gal. iv. 14, " Ye received me as an an-
gel, or messenger of God, even as Christ Jesus." And the
children that are brought forth in consequence of the union of
the pastor and people, are not properly the minister's children,
but the children of Christ ; they are not born of man, but of God.
(2.) The things that appertain to that forementioned union of
a faithful minister and Christian people, are the principal ap-
pointed means of bringing the church to that blessedness that
has been spoken of. Abraham's servant, and the part he acted
as Isaac's agent towards Rebekah, were the principal means of
his being brought to enjoy the benefits of her conjugal relation
to Isaac. Ministers are sent to woo the souls of men for Christ,
2 Cor. v. 20. " We are then ambassadors for Christ, as though
God did beseech you by us : we pray you in Christ's stead, be
ye reconciled to God." We read in Matt. xxii. of a certain
king, that made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his ser-
vants to invite and bring in the guests : these servants are mi-
nisters. The labours of faithful ministers are the principal
means God is wont to make use of for the conversion of the
children of the church, and so of their espousals unto Christ.
I have espoused you to one husband, says the apostle, 2 Cor.
xi. 2. The preaching of the gospel by faithful ministers, is the
principal means that God uses for exhibiting Christ, his love and
benefits, to his elect people, and the chief means of their being
sanctified, and so fitted to enjoy Iheir spiritual bridegroom.
Christ loved the church, and ijave himself for it, that he might
sanctify and cleanse it, as by the washing of water by the word,
(i. e. by the preaching of the gospel,) and so might present it to
himself, a glorious church. The labours of faithful ministers
are ordinarily the principal means of the joy of the saints in
Christ Jesus, in their fellowship with their spiritual bridegroom
sfiR. xviu The Church''s Marriage, ^c. 207
in this world ; 2 Cor. i. 24. " We are helpers of your joy."
They are God's instruments for bringing up the church, as it
were, from her childhood, till she is fit for her marriage with
the Lord of glory ; as Mordecai brought up Hadassah, or Esther,
whereby she was fitted to be queen in Ahasuerus's court. God
purifies the church under their hand, as Esther (to fit her for
her marriage vvith the king) was committed to the custody of
Hegai, the keeper of the women, to be purified six months with
oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours. They are
made the instruments of clothing the church in her wedding-
garments, that fine linen, clean and white, and adorning her for
her husband : as Abraham's servant adorned Rebekah with
golden ear-rings and bracelets. Faithful ministers are made
the instruments of leading the people of God in the way to
heaven, conducting them to the glorious presence of the bride-
groom, to the consummate joys of her marriage with the Lamb ;
as Abraham's servant conducted Rebekah from Padan-aram to
Canaan, and presented her to Isaac, and delivered her into his
embraces. For it is the office of ministers, not only to espouse
the church to her husband, but to present her a chaste virgin to
Christ.
I would now conclude this discourse with some exhorta-
tions, agreeable to what has been said. And,
1 . The exhortation may be to all that are called to the
work of the gospel ministry — Let us who are honoured by the
glorious bridegroom of the church, to be employed as his mi-
nisters, to so high a purpose as has been represented, be en-
gaged and induced by what has been observed, to faithfulness
in our great work ; that we ma\ be, and act towards Christ's
people that are committed to our care, as those that are united
to them in holy espousals, for Christ's sake, and in order to their
being brought to the unspeakable blessedness of that more glori-
ous union with the Lamb of God, in which he shall rejoice over
them, as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride. Let us see
to it that our hearts are united to them, as a young man to a
virgin that he mari-ies, in the most ardent and tender afTection ;
and that our regard to them be pure and uncorrupt, that it may
be a regard to them, and not to what they have, or any worldly
advantages we hope to gain of them. And let us behave our-
selves as those that are devoted to their good : being willing to
spend and be spent for them ; joyfully undertaking and enduring
the labour and self-denial that is requisite in order to a thorough
fulfilling the ministry that we have received. Let us continually
and earnestly endeavour to promote the prosperity and salva-
tion of the souls committed to our care, looking on their cala-
mities and their prosperity as our own; feeling their spiritual
wounds and griefs, and refreshed with their consolations ; and
208 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
spending our whole lives in diligent care and endeavour to pro-
vide for, nourish, and instruct our people, as the intended spouse
of Christ, yet in her minority, that we may form her mind and
behaviour, and bring her up for him, and that we may cleanse
her, as with the washing of water by the word, and purify her
as with sweet odours, and clothed in such raiment as may be-
come Christ's bride. Let us aim that when the appointed wed-
ding-day conies, we may have done our work as Christ's mes-
sengers ; and may then be ready to present Christ's spouse to
him, a chaste virgin, properly educated and formed, and suita-
bly adorned for her marriage with the Lamb ; that he may then
present her to himself, a glorious church ; not having spot or
wrinkle, or any such thing, and may receive her into his eternal
embraces, in perfect purity, beauty, and glory.
Here I would mention three or four things tending to ex-
cite us to this fidelity.
1. We ought to consider how much Christ has done to ob-
tain that joy, wherein he rejoices over his church, as the bride-
groom rejoiceth over the bride.
The creation of the world seems to have been especially
lor this end, that the eternal Son of God might obtain a spouse
towards whom he might fully exercise the infinite benevolence
of his nature, and to whom he might, as it were, open and pour
forth all that immense fountain of condescension, love, and
grace, that was in his heart, and that in this way God might be
glorified. Doubtless the work of creation is subordinate to the
work of ledemption : the creation of ihe new heavens and new
earih, ts represented as so much more excellent than the old,
that, in comparison, it is not worthy to be mentioned, or come
into mnd.
Christ has done greater things than to create the world, in
order to obtain his bride and and the joy of his espousals with her.
For he became man for this end ; which was a greater thing
than his creating the world. For the creator to make the crea-
ture was a great thing •, but for him to become a creature was
a greater thing. And he did a much greater thing still to obtain
this joy ; in that for this he laid down his life, and suflered even
the death of the cross ; for this he poured out his soul unto
death ; and he that is the Lord of the universe, God over all,
blessed for evermor^e, offered up himself a sacrifice, in both
body and soul, in the flames of divine wrath. Christ obtains
his elect spouse by conquest ; for she was a captive in the hands
of dreadful enemies ; and her Redeemer came into the world
to conquer these enemies, and rescue her out of their hands,
that she might be his bride. And he came and encountered
these enemies in the greatest battle that ever was beheld by men
or angels : He fought with principalities and powers; he fought
alone with the powers of darkness, and all the armies of hell ;
•;er. XVII. The Church's Marriage^ ^^rc, "^09
yea, he conflicted with the infinitely more dreadful wrath of
God, and overcame in this great battle ; and thus he obtained
his spouse. Let us consider at how great a price Christ pur-
chased this spouse. He did not redeem her with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, but with his own precious blood ; yea,
he gave himself for her. When he offered up himself to God
in those extreme labours and sufferings, this was the joy that
was set before him, that made him cheerfully to endure the
cross, and despise the pain and shame in comparison of this joy ;
even that rejoicing over his church, as the bridegroom rejoiceth
over the bride that the Father had promised him, and that he
expected when he should present her to himself in perfect
beauty and blessedness.
The prospect of this was what supported him in the midst
of the dismal prospect of his sufferings, at which his soul was
troubled ; John xii. 27. " Now is my soul troubled : and what
shall I say ? Father, save me from this hour : But for this cause
come I unto this hour." These words show the conflict and
distress of Christ's holy soul in the view of his approaching suf*
ferings. But in the midst of his trouble, he was refreshed with
the joyful prospect of the success of those sufferings in bring-
ing home his elect church to himself, signified by a voice from
heaven, and promised by the Father : on which he says, in the
language of triumph, ver. 31, 32, "Now is the judgment of
this world : now shall the prince of this world be cast onto
And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me."
And ministers of the gospel are appointed to be the in-
struments of bringing this to pass ; the instruments of bringing
home his elect spouse to him, and her becoming his bride ; and
the instruments of her sanctifying and cleansing by the word,
that she might be meet to be presented to him on the future
glorious wedding-day. How great a motive then is here to in-
duce us who are called to be these instruments, to be faithful in
our work, and most willingly labour and suffer, that Christ may
see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied? Shall Christ do
such great things, and go through such great labours and suf-
ferings to obtain this joy, and then honour us sinful worms, so
as to employ us as his ministers and instruments to bring this
joy to pass ; and shall we be loth to labour, and backward to
deny ourselves for this end ?
2. Let us consider how much the manner in which Christ
employs us in this great business has to engage us to a faithful
performance of it. We are sent forth as his servants ; but it
is as highly dignified servants, as stewards of his household, as
Abraham's servant ; and as his ambassadors, to stand in his stead,
and in his name, and represent his person in so great an affaif
as that of his espousals with the eternally beloved of his soul.
Christ employs us not as mere servants, but as friends of the
Vol. VI. 27
210 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
bridegroom ; agreeable to the style in which John the Baptise
speaks of himself, John iii. 29; in which he probably alludes
to an ancient custom among the Jews at their nuptial solemni-
ties, at which one of the guests that was most honoured and
next in dignity to the bridegroom, was styled the friend of the
bridegroom.
There is not an angel in heaven, of how high an order
soever, but what looks on himself as honoured by the son of
God and Lord of glory, in being employed by him as his minis-
ter in the high affair of his espousals with his blessed bride.
But such honour has Christ put upon us, that his spouse should
in some sort be ours ; that we should marry, as a young man
marries a virgin, the same mystical person that he himself will
rejoice over as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bi'ide : that
we should be his ministers to treat and transact for him with
his dear spouse, that he might obtain this joy : and in our treaty
with her, to be married to her in his name, and sustain an
image of his own endearing relation to her : and that she should
receive us, in some sort, as himself, and her heart be united to
us in esteem, honour, and affection, as those that represent him ;
and that Christ's and the church's children should be ours, and
that the fruit of the travail of Christ's soul should be also the
fruit of the travail of our souls ; as the apostle speaks of him-
self as travailing in birth with his hearers, Gal. iv. 19. The
reason why Christ puts such honour on faithful ministers, even
above the angels themselves, is because they are of his beloved
church, they are select members of his dear spouse, and
Christ esteems nothing too much, no honour too great for her.
Therefore Jesus Christ, the King of angels and men, does as it
Avcre cause it to be proclaimed concerning faithful ministers, as
Ahasuerus did concerning him that brought up Esther, his be-
loved queen ; '' Thus shall it be done to the man that the king
delights to honour."
And seeing Christ hath so honoured us, that our relation to-
his people resembles his, surely our affection to them should
imitate his, in seeking their salvation, spiritual peace, and hap-
piness. Our tender care, labours, self-denial, and readiness to
suffer for their happiness, should imitate what hath appeared in
him, who hath purchased them with his own blood.
3. Let it be considered, that if we faithfully acquit our-
selves in our office, in the manner that hath been represented,
we shall surely hereafter be partakers of the joy, when the
bridegroom and bride shall rejoice in each other in perfect and
eternal glory.
God once gave forth a particular command, with special
solemnity, that it should be written for the notice of all pro-
fessing Christians, through all ages, that they are happy and
blessed indeed, who are called to the marriage-supper of the
rSER. XVII. The Churches Marriage, ire. ill
Lamb ; Rev. xix. 9. " And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed
are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the
Lamb, And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of
God." But if we are faithful in our work, we shall surely be
the subjects of that blessedness ; we shall be partakers of the
joy of the bridegroom and bride, not merely as friends and
neighbours, that are invited to be occasional guests, but as mem-
bers of the one and the other. We shall be partakers with the
church, the blessed bride, in her joy in the bridegroom, not
only as friends and ministers to the church, but as members of
principal dignity ; as the eye, the ear, the hand, are principal
members of the body. Faithful ministers in the church will
hereafter be a part of the church that shall receive distinguish-
ed glory at the resurrection of the just, which, above all other
times, maybe looked on as the church's wedding-day ; Dan.
xii. 2, 3. " Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth,
shall awake, some to everlasting life. And they that be wise,
shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that
turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." —
They are elders who are represented as that part of the church
triumphant that sit next to the throne of God, Rev. iv. 4.
" And round about the throne were four-and-twenty seats : and
upon the seats I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in
white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold."
And we shall also be partakers of the joy of the bride-
groom in his rejoicing over his bride. We, as the special
friends of the bridegroom, shall stand by and hear him express
his joy on that day, and rejoice greatly because of the bride-
groom's voice ; as John the Baptist said of himself, John iii. 29.
" He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom ; but the friend of
the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth
greatly, because of the bridegroom's voice." Christ, in reward
for our faithful service, in winning and espousing his bride to
him, and bringing her up from her minority, and adorning her
for him, will then call us to partake with him in the joy of his
marriage. And she that will then be his joy, shall also be our
crown of rejoicing; 1 Thess. ii. 19. "What is our hope, or
joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming ?" What a joyful meeting
had Christ and his disciples together, when the disciples re-
turned to their Master, after the faithful and successful perform-
ance of their appointed service, when Christ sent them forth to
preach the gospel ; Luke x. 17. "And the seventy returned
with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us
through thy name." Here we see how they rejoice ; the next
words show, how Christ also rejoiced on that occasion : " And
he said unto them, I beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from hea-
ven." And, in the next verse but two, we are told, that "in
212 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, " I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto
babes." So, if we faithfully acquit ourselves, we shall another
day return to him with joy ; and we shall rejoice with him, and
he with us. Then v/ill be the day when Christ, who hath sown
in tears and in blood, and we who have reaped the fruits of his
labours and sufferings, shall rejoice together, agreeable to John
iv. 35, 37. And that will be a happy meeting, indeed, when
Christ and his lovely and blessed bride, and faithful ministers,
who have been the instruments of wooing and winning her heart
to him, and adorning her for him, and presenting her to him,
shall all rejoice together.
4. Further, to stir us up to faithfulness in the great busi-
ness that is appointed us, in order to the mutual joy of this
bridegroom and bride, let us consider what reason we have to
hope that the time is approaching, when this joy shall be to a
glorious degree fulfilled on earth, far beyond whatever yet has
been ; 1 mean the time of the church's latter-day glory. This
is what the words of our text have a more direct respect to ;
and this is what is prophesied of in Hos. ii. 19, 20. " And I
will betroth thee unto me for ever ; yea, I will betroth thee
unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kind-
ness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in
faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord." And this is what
is especially intended by the marriage of the Lamb, in Rev. xix.
We are sure this day will come ; and we have many rea-
sons to think, that it is approaching ; from the fulfilment of al-
most every thing that the prophecies speak of as preceding it,
and their having been fulfilled now a long time ; and from the
general earnest expectations of the church of God, and the
best of her ministers and members, and the late extraordinary
things that have appeared in the church of God, and apper-
taining to the state of religion, and the present aspects of Di-
vine Providence, which the time will not allow me largely to
insist upon.
As the happiness of that day will have a great resemblance
of the glory and joy of the eternal wedding-day of the church,
after the resurrection of the just, so will the privileges of faith-
ful ministers at that time much resemble those they shall enjoy
with the bridegroom and bride, as to honour and happiness, in
eternal glory. This is the time especially intended in the text,
wherein it is said, " as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall
thy sons marry thee." And it is after in the prophecies spoken
of as a great part of the glory of that time, that then the church
should be so well supplied with faithful ministers. So in the
next verse to the text, " 1 have set watchmen on thy walls, O
Jerusalem, that shall never hold their peace, day nor night."
oER. XVH. The Church? s Marriage^ ^c. 213
So Isaiah xxx. 20, 21. "Thy teachers shall not be removed
into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers 5
and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, '' This is
the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and
when ye turn to the left." Jer. iii. 15. "And 1 will give ^ou
pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with
knowledge and understanding." And chapter xxiii. 4. "And
i will set up shepherds over them, which shall feed them."
And the great privilege and joy of faithful ministers ai that day
is foretold in Isaiah Iii. 8. " Thy watchmen shall lift up the
voice, with the voice together shall they sing ; for they shall see
eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion."
And as that day must needs be approaching, and we our-
selves have, lately seen some things which we have reason to
hope are forerunners of it; certainly, it should strongly excite
us to endeavour to be such pastors as God has promised to
bless his church with at that time ; that if any of us should
live to see the dawning of that glorious day, we might share in
the blessedness of it, and then be called, as the friends of the
bridegroom, to the marriage-supper of the Lamb, and partake
of that joy in which heaven and earth, angels and saints, and
Christ and his church, shall be united at that time.
But here 1 would apply the exhortation, in a few words, to
that minister of Christ, who, above all others, is concerned in
the solemnity of this day, who is now to be united to, and set
over this people as their pastor.
You have now heard, reverend sir, the great importance
and high ends of the office of an evangelical pastor, and the
glorious privileges of such as are faithful in this office, imper-
fectly represented. May God grant that your union with this
people this day, as their pastor, may be such, that God's people
here may have the great promise God makes to his church in
the text, now fultilled unto them. May you now, as one of the
precious sons of Zion, take this part of Christ's church by the
hand, in the name of your great Master, the glorious bride-
groom, with a heart devoted unto him with true adoration and
supreme affection, and for his sake knit to this people, in a spi-
ritual and pure love, and, as it were, a conjugal tenderness ;
ardently desiring that great happiness for them, which you have
now heard Christ has chosen his church unto, and has shed his
blood to obtain for her ; being yourself ready to spend and be
spent for them; remembering the great errand on which Christ
sends you to them, viz. to woo and win their hearts, and es-
pouse their souls to him, and to bring up his elect spouse, and
to fit and adorn her for his embraces ; that you may in due time
present her a chaste virgin to him, for him to rejoice over, as
the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride. How honourable is
this business that Christ employs you in ! and how joyfully
214 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
should you perform it! When Abraham's faithful servant was
sent to take a wife for his master's son, how engaged was he in
the business ; and how joyful was he when he succeeded ! With
what joy did he bow his head and worship, and bless the Lord
God of his master, for his mercy and his truth in making his
way prosperous ! And what a joyful meeting may we conclude
he had with Isaac, when he met him in the field, by the well of
Laha-roi, and there presented his beauteous Rebekah to him,
and told him all things that he had done ! But this was but a
shadow of that joy that you shall have, if you imitate his fide-
lity, in the day when you shall meet your glorious master, and
present Christ's church in this place, as a chaste and beautiful
virgin unto him.
We trust, dear sir, that you will esteem it a most blessed
employment, to spend your time and skill in adorning Christ's
bride for her marriage with the Lamb, and that it is work
which you will do with delight ; and that you will take heed
that the ornaments you put upon her, are of the right sort,
what shall be indeed beautiful and precious in the eyes of the
bridegroom, that she may be all-glorious within, and her clothing
of wrought gold; that on the wedding-day, she may stand on
the king's right hand in gold of Ophir.
The joyful day is coming, when the spouse of Christ shall
be led to the king in raiment of needle-work ; and angels and
faithful ministers will be the servants that shall lead her in.
And you, sir, if you are faithful in the charge now to be com-
mitted to you, shall be joined with glorious angels in that honour-
able and joyful service ; but with this difference, that you shall
have the higher privilege. Angels and faithful ministers shall
be together in bringing in Christ's bride into his palace, and pre-
senting her to him. But faithful ministers shall have a much
higher participation of the joy of that occasion. They shall
have a greater and more immediate participation with the
bride in her joy ; for they shall not only be ministers to the
church as the angels are, but parts of the church, principal
members of the bride. And as such, at the same time that angels
do the part of ministering spirits to the bride, when they conduct
her to the bridegroom, they shall also do the part of ministering
spirits to faithful ministers. And tbey shall also have a higher
participation with the bridegroom than the angels, in his rejoi-
cing at that time ; for they shall be nearer to him than they.
They are also his members, and are honoured as the principal
instruments of espousing the saints to him, and fitting them for
his enjoyment ; and therefore they will be more the crown of
rejoicing to faithful ministers, than of the angels of heaven.
So great, dear sir, is the honour and joy that is set before
vou. to engage you to faithfulness in your pastoral care of this
SER. XVII. 2\e Churchh Marriage, dfc. 215
people; so glorious the prize that Christ has set up to engage you
to run the race that is set before you.
I would now conclude with a few words to the people of th is
congregation, whose souls are now to be committed to the care of
that minister of Christ whom they have chosen as their pastor.
Let me take occasion, dear brethren, from what has b een
said to exhort you — not forgetting the respect, honour, and re-
verence, that will ever be due from you to your former pas tor,
who has served you so long in that work, but by reason of age
and growing infirmities, and the prospect of his place being so
happily supplied by a successor, has seen meet to relinquish the
burden of the pastoral charge over you — to perform the duties
that belong to you, in yaur part of that relation and union now
to be established between you and your elect pastor. Receive
him as the messenger of the Lord of Hosts, one that in his office
represents the glorious bridegroom of the church ; love and
honour him, and wilHngly submit yourselves to him, as a virgin
when married to a husbaiid. Surely the feet of that messenger
should be beautiful, that comes to you on such a blessed errand
as that which you have heard, to espouse you to the eternal Son
of God, and to fit you for, and lead you to him as your bride-
groom. Your chosen pastor comes to you on this errand, and
he comes in the name of the bridegroom, so empowered by him,
and representing him, that in receiving him, you will receive
Christ, and in rejecting him, you will reject Christ*
Be exhorted to treat your pastor as the beautiful and vir-
tuous Rebekah treated Abraham's servant. She most charita-
bly and hospitably entertained him, provided lodging and food
for him and his company, and took care that he should be com-
fortably entertained and supplied in all respects, while he con-
tinued in his embassy; and that was the note or mark of distinc-
tion which God himself gave him, by which he should know the
true spouse of Isaac from all others of the daughters of the city.
Therefore in this respect approve yourselves as the true spouse
of Christ, by giving kind entertainment to your minister that
comes to espouse you to the antetype of Isaac. Provide for
his outward subsistence and comfort, with the like cheerfulness
that Rebekah did for Abraham's servayt. You have an account
of her alacrity and liberality in supplying him, in Gen. xxiv. 18,
&c. Say as her brother did, ver. 31, ''Come in thou blessed
of the Lord."
Thus you should entertain your pastor. But this is not
that wherein your duty towards him chiefly lies : the main thing
is to comply with him in his great errand, and to yield to the
suit that he makes to you in the name of Christ, to be his bride.
In this you should be like Rebekah ; she was, from what she
heard of Isaac, and God's covenant with him, and blessing upon
216 TWENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
him, from the mouth of Abraham's servant, wiUing for ever to
forsake her own country, and her father's house, to go into a
country she* had never seen, to be Isaac's wife, whom also she
never saw. After she had heard what the servant had to say,
and her old friends had a mind she should put otf the affair for
the present — but it was insisted on that she should go immedi-
ately— and she was asked, " whether she would go with this
man," she said, " I will go :" and she left her kindred, and fol-
lowed the man through all that long journey, till he had brought
her unto Isaac, and they three had that joyful meeting in Canaan.
If you will this day receive your pastor in that union that is now
to be established between him and you, it will be a joyful day in
this place, and the joy will be like the joy of espousals, as when
a young man marries a virgin ; and it will not only be a joyful
day in East Hampton, but it will doubtless be a joyful day in
heaven on your own account. And your joy will be a faint re-
semblance, and a forerunner of that future joy, when Christ
shall rejoice over you as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the
bride, in heavenly glory.
And if your pastor be faithful in his office, and you hearken
and yield to him in that great errand, on which Christ sends him
to you, the time will come, wherein you and your pastor will
be each others' crown of rejoicing, and wherein Christ and he
and you shall all meet together at the glorious marriage of the
Lamb, and shall rejoice in and over one another with perfect,
uninterrupted, never ending, and never fading joy.
JSfole. Sermon xviii. at the funeral of David Brainerd, is annexed to his
life.
SERMON XIX,
gjod's awful judgment in the breaking and with-
ering OF THE strong RODS OF A COMMUNITY.
EZEK. XIX. 12«
Her strong Rods were broken and zoithered.
In order to a right understanding and improvement of these
words, these four things must be observed concerning them.
1. Who she is that is here represented as having had
strong rods, viz. the Jewish community, who here, as often
elsewhere, is called the people's mother. She is here com-
pared to a vine planted in a very fruitful soil, verse 10. The
Jewish church and state is often elsewhere compared to a vine ;
as P-alm Ixxx. 8, &;c. Isa. v. 2. Jer. ii. 21. Ezek. xv. and
chap. xvii. 6.
5. What is meant by her strong rods, viz. her wise, able,
and well qualified magistrates or rulers. That the rulers or
magistrates are intended is manifest by verse 11. "And she
had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule." And
by rods that were strong, must be meant such rulers as were
well qualified for magistracy, such as had great; (abilities and
other qualifications fitting them for the business of rule. They
were wont to choose a rod or staff of the strongest and hardest
sort of wood that could be found, for the mace or sceptre of a
prince ; such an one only being counted fit for that use 5 and
this generally was overlaid with gold.
It is veiy remarkable that such a strong rod should grow
out of a weak vine : but so it had been in Israel, through God's
extraordinary blessing, in times past. Though the nation is
* Preached at Northampton on the Lord's day, June 26, 1748, on the
death of the Honourable John Stoddard, Esq. often a member of his Majesty's
council, for many years chief justice of the court of Common Pleas for the
county of Hampshire, judge of the probate of wills, and chief colonel of the
regiment, &c. who died at Boston, June 19, 174f5, in the 67th year of his age.
Voi,. VI. 28
218 TVVENTV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SOBJECTS.
spoken of here, and frequently elsewhere, as weak and help-
less in itself, and entirely dependent as a vine, the weakest of
all trees, that cannot support itself by its own strength, and
never stands but as it leans on or hangs by something else that
is stronger than itself; yet God had caused many of her sons to
be strong rods fit for sceptres ; he had raised up in Israel many
able and excellent princes and magistrates, who had done worth-
ily in their day.
3. it should be understood and observed what is meant by
these strong rods being broken and withered, viz. these able and
excellent rulers being removed by death : men's dying is often
compared in Scripture to the withering of the growth of the
earth.
4. It should be observed after what manner the breaking
and withering of these strong rods is here spoken of, viz. as
a great and awful calamity, that God had brought upon that
people ; it is spoken of as one of the chief effects of God's
dreadful displeasure against them : " But she was plucked up in
fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried
up her fruit : her strong rods were broken and withered, the fire
hath consumed them." The great benefits she enjoyed while
her strong rods remained, are represented in the preceding
verse : " And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that
bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches ;
and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her
branches." And the terrible calamities that attended the break-
ing and withering of her strong rods, are represented in the two
verses next following the text : " And now she is planted in the
wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. And fire is gone out
of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit." And
in the conclusion in the next words, is very emphatically de-
clared the worthiness of such a dispensation to be greatly la-
mented : " So that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to
rule: this is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation."
That wlivch I therefore observe from the words of the text,
to be the subject of discourse at this time, is this, viz. When
God by death removes from a people those in a place of public
authority and rule that have been as strong rods, it is an awful
judgment of God on that people, and worthy of great lamen-
tation.
In discoursing on this proposition, I would,
1. Show what kind of rulers may fitly be called strong
rods.
2. Show why the removal of such rulers from a people by
death is to be looked upon as an awful judgment of God on
that people, and is greatly to be lamented.
■SKR. XIX. ^4 stro7ig Rod broken and withered. 219
I. I would observe what qualifications of those who are in
public authority and rule may properly give them the denomi-
nation of strong rods.
1. One qualification of rulers, whence they may properly
be denominated strong rods, is great ability for the management
of public affairs. This is the case when they who stand in a
place of public authority, are men of great natural abilities,
men of uncommon strength of reason, and largeness of under-
standing ; especially when they have a remarkable genius for
government, a peculiar turn of mind fitting them to gain an
extraordinary understanding in things of that nature. They
have ability, in an especial manner, for insight into the myste-
ries of government, and for discerning those things wherein the
public welfare or calamity consists, and the proper means to
avoid the one, and promote the other ; an extraordinary talent
at distinguishing what is right and just, from that which is
wrong and unequal, and to see through the false colours with
which injustice is often disguised, and unravel the false and
subtle arguments, and cunning sophistry that is often made use
of to defend iniquity. They have not only great natural abili-
ties in these respects, but their abilities and talents have been
improved by study, learning, observation, and experience ; and
by these means they have obtained great actual knowledge.
They have acquired great skill in public afifairs, and things re-
quisite to be known, in order to their wise, prudent, and effec-
tual management; they have obtained a great understanding of
men and things, a great knowledge of human nature, and of the
way of accommodating themselves to it, so as most effectually
to influence it to wise purposes. They have obtained a very
extensive knowledge of men with whom they are concerned
in the management of public affairs, either those who have a
joint concern in government, or those who are to be governed :
and they have also obtained a very full and particular under-
standing of the state and circumstances of the country or peo-
ple, of whom they have the care, and know well their laws and
constitution, and what their circumstances require ; and like-
wise have a great knowledge of the people of neighbouring na-
tions, states, or provinces, with whom they have occasion to be
concerned in the management of public affairs committed to
them. These things all contribute to render those who are in
authority fit to be denominated strong rods.
2. When they have not only great understanding, but
largeness of heart, and a greatness and nobleness of disposition,
this is another qualification that belongs to the character of a
" strong rod."
Those that are by divine Providence set in a place of
public authority and rule, are called " gods, and sons of the
Most High," Psalm Ixxxii. 6 ; and therefore it is peculiarly
220 TWENTY SEUMOKS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
unbecoming them to be of a mean spirit, a disposition that will
admit of their doing those things that are sordid and vile 5 as
when they are persons of a narrow, private spirit, that may be
found in little tricks and intrigues to promote their private in-
terest. Such will shamefully defile their hands to gain a few
pounds, are not ashamed to grind the faces of the poor, and
screw their neighbours ; and will take advantage of their au-
thority or commission to line their own pockets with what is
fraudulently taken or withheld from ofhers. When a man in
authority is of such a mean spirit, it weakens his authority, and
makes him justly contemptible in the eyes of men, and is ut-
terly inconsistent with his being a strong rod.
But on the contrary, it greatly establishes his authority,
and causes others to stand in awe of him, when they see him
to be a man of greatness of mind, one that abhors those things
that are mean and sordid ; and not capable of a compHance
with them ; one that is of a public spirit, and not of a private,
narrow disposition ; a man of honour, and not of mean artifice,
and clandestine management, for filthy lucre ; one that abhors
trifling and impertinence, or to waste away his time, that should
be spent in the service of God, his king, and his country, in
vain amusements and diversions, and in Ithe pursuit of the gra-
tifications of sensual appetites. God charges the rulers in
Israel, that pretended to be their great and mighty men, with
being mighty to drink vyine, and men of strength to mingle
strong drink. There does not seem to be any reference to
their being men of strong heads, and able to bear a great deal
of strong drink, as some have supposed : there is a severe sar-
casm in the words ; for the prophet is speaking of the great
men, princes, and judges, in Israel, (as appears by the verse
next following,) which v«hould be mighty men, strong rods, men
of eminent qualifications, excelling in nobleness of spirit, of
glorious strength, and fortitude of mind ; but, instead of that,
they were mighty or eminent for nothing but gluttony and
drunkenness.
3. When those that are in authority are endowed with
much of a spirit of government, this is another thing that
entitles them to the denomination of " strong rods." They
not only are men of great understanding, and wisdom, in affairs
that appertain to government, but have also a peculiar talent
at using their knowledge, and exerting themselves in this
great and important business, according to their great under-
standing in it. They are men of eminent fortitude, and are
not afraid of the faces of men, are not afraid to do the part
that properly belongs to them as rulers, though they meet with
great opposition, and the spirits of men are greatly irritated
by it. They have a spirit of resolution and activity, so as to
keep the wheels of government in proper motion, and to cause
SER. XIX. A strong Rod broken and withered. 221
judgment and justice to run down as a mighty stream. They
have not only a great knowledge of government, and the things
that belong to it in theory, but it is, as it were, natural to them
to apply the various powers and faculties with which God has
endowed them, and the knowledge they have obtained by t^tudy
and observation, to that business, so as to perform it most ad-
vantageous!) and effectually.
4. Stability and firmness of integrity, fidelity, and piety,
in the exercise of authority, is another thing that greatly con-
tributes to, and is very essential in the character of a strong
rod.
He is not only a man of strong reason and great discerning
to know what is just, but is a man of strict integrity and right-
eousness, firm and immoveable in the execution of justice and
judgment. He is not only a man of great ability to bear down
vice and immorality, but has a disposition agreeable to such
ability ; is one that has a strong aversion to wickedness, and is
disposed to use the power God has put into his hands to sup-
press it ; and is one that not only opposes vice by his authority,
but by his example. He is one of inflexible fidelity, who will
be faithful to God, whose minister he is, to his people for good,
and who is immoveable in his regard to his supreme authority,
his commands, and his glory ; and will be faithful to his king and
country. He will not be ifiduced by the many temptations that
attend the business of men in public authority, basely to betray
his trust ; will not consent to do what he thinks not to be for
the public good, for his own gain or advancement, or any pri-
vate interest. He is well principled, and firm in acting agreea-
bly to his principles, and will not be prevailed with to do other-
wise through fear or favour, to follow a multitude, or to main-
tain his interest in any on whom he depends for the honour or
profit of his place, whether it be prince or people; and is also
one of that strength of mind, whereby he rules his own spirit.
These things very eminently contribute to a ruler's title to the
denomination of a " strong rod."
5. And lastly, it also contributes to that strength of a man
in authority by which he may be denominated a" strong rod,"
when he is in such circumstances as give him advantage for the
exercise of his strength for the public good ; as his being a per-
son of honourable descent, of a distinguished education, a man
of estate, one advanced in years, one that has long been in au-
thority, so that it is become as it were natural for the people
to pay him deference, to reverence him, to be influenced and
governed by him. and to submit to his authority ; and add to
this, his being extensively known, and much honoured and re-
garded abroad ; his being one of a good presence, majesty of
countenance, decency of behaviour, becoming one in authority;
of forcible speech, &c. These things add to his strength, and
222 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
increase his ability and advantage to serve his generation in the
pla< e of a ruler, and therefore serve to render him one that is
the more fitly and eminently called a "strong rod." — I now
proceed,
II. To show that when such strong rods are broken and
withered by death, it is an awful judgment of God on the peo-
ple who are deprived of them, and worthy of great lamen ation.
— And that on two accounts.
1. By reason of the many positive benefits and blessings
to a people that such rulers are the instruments of.
Almost all the prosperity of a public society and civil com-
munitv does, under God, depend on their rulers. They are
like the main springs or wheels in a machine, that keep every
part in its due motion, and are in the body politic, as the vitals in
the body natural, and as the pillars and foundation in a building.
Civil rulers are called " the foundations of the earth." Psalm
Ixxxii. 5. and xi. 3.
The prosperity of a people depends more on their rulers
than is commonly imagined. As they have the public society
under their care and power, so they have advantage to pro-
mote the public interest every way ; and if they are such rulers
as have been described, they are some of the greatest blessings
to the public. Their influence has a tendency to promote
wealth, and cause temporal possessions and blessings to abound ;
and to promote virtue amongst them, and so to unite them one
to another in peace and mutual benevolence, and make them
happy in society, each one the instrument of his neighbour's
quietness, comfort, and prosperity ; and by these means to ad-
vance their reputation and honour in the world ; and which is
much more, to promote their spiritual and eternal happiness.
Therefore, the wise man says, Eccles. x. 17, " Blessed art thou.
0 land, when thy king is the son of nobles."
We have a remarkable instance and evidence of the hap-
py and great influence of such a strong rod as has been de-
scribed, to promote the universal prosperity of a people, in
the history of the reign of Solomon, though many of the peo-
ple were uneasy under his goverment, and thought him too
rigorous in his administrations : see I Kings xii. 4. " Judah and
Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-
tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon,"
1 Kings iv. 25. "And he made silver to be among them as
stones for abundance," chap. x. 27. "And Judah and Israel
were many, eating and drinking and making merry." The
queen of Sheba admired, and was greatly affected with the
happiness of the people, under the government of such a
strong rod, 1 Kings x. 8, 9. " Happy are thy men, (says she)
happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee
3ER. n . A strong Rod broken and withered. 'i'iS
and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God,
which dehghteth in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel :
because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee
king, to do judgment and justice."
The flourishing state of the kingdom of Judah, while they
had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, is taken
notice of in our context ; "' her stature was exalted among the
thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multi-
tude of her branches,"
Such rulers are eminently the ministers of God to his peo-
ple for good ; they are great gifts of the Most High to a people,
blessed tokens of his favour, and vehicles of his goodness to
them ; and therein are images of his own Son, the grand me-
dium of all God's goodness to fallen mankind ; and, therefore,
all of them are called^ sons of the Most High. All civil rulers,
if they are as they ought to be, such strong rods as have been
described, will be like the Son of the Most High, vehicles of
good to mankind, and, like him, will be as the light of the
morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds,
as the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining
after rain. And, therefore, when a people are bereaved of
them, they sustain an unspeakable loss, and are the subjects of
a judgment of God, that is greatly to be lamented.
2. On account of the great calamities such rulers are a
defence from. Innumerable are the grievous and fatal calami-
ties which public societies are exposed to in this evil world,
from which they can have no defence without order and autho-
rity. If a people are without government, they are like a city
broken down, and without walls, encompassed on every side by
enemies, and become unavoidably subject to all manner of con-
fusion and misery.
Government is necessary to defend communities from mi-
series from within themselves ; from the prevalence of intestine
discord, mutual injustice, and violence ; the members of the
society continually making a prey one of another, without any
defence from each other. Rulers are the heads of union in
public societies, that hold the parts together; without which,
nothing else is to be expected than that the members of the
society will be continually divided against themselves, every
one acting the part of an enemy to his neighbour, every one's
hand against every man, and every man's hand against him ;
going on in remediless and endless broils and jarring, until the
society be utterly dissolved and broken in pieces, and life itself,
in the neighbourhood of our fellow-creatures, becomes misera-
ble and intolerable.
We may see the need of government in societies by what
is visible in families, those lesser societies, of which all public
societies are constituted. How miserable would these little
224 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
societies be, if all were left to themselves, without any autho-
rity or superiority in one above another, or any head of union
and influence among them ? We may be convinced by what
we !«ee of the lamentable consequences of the want of a proper
exercise of authority and maintenance of government in fami-
lies, which yet are not absolutely without all authority. No less
need is there of government in public societies, but much more
as they are larger; a very few may possibly, without any go-
vernment, act by concert, so as to concur in what shall be for
the welfare of the whole ; but this is not to be expected among
a multitude, constituted of many thousands, of a great variety
of tempers, and different interests.
As government is absolutely necessary, so there is a ne-
cessity of strong rods in order to it : the business being such as
requires persons so qualified: no other being sufficient for, or
well capable of the government of public societies: and, there-
fore, those public societies are miserable that have not such
strong rods for sceptres to rule. Eccles. x. 16. "Wo to thee,
O land, when thy king is a child."
As government, and strong rods for the exercise of it, are
necessary to preserve public societies from dreadful and fatal
calamities arising from among themselves, so no less requisite
are they to defend the community from foreign enemies. As
they are like the pillars of a building, so they are also like the
walls and bulwarks of a city : they are, under God, the main
strength of a people in the time of war, and the chief instru-
ments of their preservation, safety, and rest. This is signified
in a very lively manner in the words that are used by the Jewish
community in her lamentations, to express the expectations
she had from her princes, Lam. iv. 20. " The breath of our
nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of
whom we said, under his shadow we shall live among the hea-
then," In this respect, also, such strong rods are sons of the
Most High, and images, or resemblances of the Son of God,
viz, as they are their saviours from their enemies; as the
judges that God raised up of old in Israel are called, Neh. ix. 27.
" Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their ene-
mies, who vexed ihem; and in the time of their trouble, when
they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven ; and,
according to thy manifold mercies, thou gavest them saviours,
who saved them out of the hand of their enemies."
Thus both the prosperity and safety of a people under God,
depend on such rulers as are strong rods. While they enjoy
such blessings, they are wont to be like a vine planted in a fruit-
ful soil, with her stature exalted among the thick branches, ap-
pearing in her height with the multitude of her branches ; but
when they have no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule, they are
like a vine planted in a wilderness that is exposed to be plucked
SER. XIX. 4 strong Rod broken and withered. ~^>^'
up, and cast down to the ground, to have her fruit dried up
with the east wind, and to have fire coming out of her own
branches to devour her fruit*
On these accounts, when a people's strong rods are broken
and withered, it is an awful judgment of God on that people,
and worthy of great lamentation : as when King Josiah (who
was doubtless one of the great rods referred to in the text) was
dead, the people made great lamentation for him, 2 Chron.
XXXV. 24, 25. " And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he
died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers :
and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. And Jere-
miah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing-men and the sing-
ing-women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day.
and made them an ordinance in Israel, and behold, they are writ-
ten in the Lamentations."
APPLICATION.
1 come now to apply these things to our own case, under
the late awful frown of divine Providence upon us, in removing
by death that honourable person in public rule and authority^,
an inhabitant of this town, and belonging to this congregation
and church, who died at Boston the last Lord's day.
He was eminently a strong rod in the fore-mentioned re-
spects. As to his natural abilities, strength of reason, great-
ness and clearness of discerning, and depth of penetration, he
was one of the first rank. It may be doubted whether he has
left his superior in these respects in these parts of the world.
He was a man of a truly great genius, and his genius was pecu-
liarly fitted for the understanding and managing of public
aifairs.
And as his natural capacity was great, sO was the know
ledge that he had acquired ; his understanding being greatly im-
proved by close application of mind to those things he was call-
ed to be concerned in, and by a very exact observation of them,
and long experience in them. He had indeed a great insight
into the nature of public societies, the mysteries of govern-
ment, and the affairs of peace and war. He had a discernment
that very few have of those things wherein the public weal con-
sists, and what those things are tb:.t expose public societies ;
and of the proper means to avoid the latter, and promote the
former. He was quick in his discerning, in that in most cases,
especially such as belonged to his proper business, he at first
sight would see farther than most men when they had done their
best ; but yet he had a wonderful faculty of improving his own
thoughts by meditation, and carrying his views a greater and
greater length by long and close application of mind. He had
Vol. VI. 29
226 TUKKTY SERMOKs ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
an extraordinary ability to distinguish right and wrong, in the
midst of intricacies and circumstances that tended to perplex
and darken the case. He was able to weigh things as it were
in a balance, and to distinguish those things that were solid and
weighty from those that had only a fair show without substance 5
which he evidently discovered in his accurate, clear, and plain
way of stating and committing causes to a jury, from the bench,
as by others have been observed. He wonderfully distinguished
truth from falsehood, and the most laboured cases seemed al-
ways lo lie clear in his mind, his ideas being properly ranged;
and he had a talent of communicating them to every one's
understanding, beyond almost any one ; and if any were mis-
guided, it was not because truth and falsehood, right and wrong,
were not well distinguished.
He was probably one of the ablest politicians that ever
New England bred. He had a very uncommon insight into hu-
man nature, and a marvellous ability to penetrate into the par-
ticular tempers and dispositions of such as he had to deal with,
and to discern the fittest way of treating them, so as most ef-
fectually to influence them to any good and wise purpose.
And never perhaps was there a person that had a more
extensive and thorough knowledge of the state of this land, and
its public affairs, and of persons that were jointly concerned
with him in them. He knew this people, and their circum-
stances, and what their circumstances required. He discerned
the diseases of this body, and what were the proper remedies,
as an able and masterly physician. He had a great acquain-
tance with the neighbouring colonies, and also the nations on
this continent, with whom we are concerned in our public
affairs. He had a far greater knowledge than any other person
in the land, of the several nations of Indians in these northern
parts of America, their tempers, manners, and the proper way
of treating them ; and was more extensively known by them
than any other person in the country. And no other person in
authority in this province had such an acquaintance with the
people and country of Canada, the land of our enemies, as he
had.
He was exceeding far from a disposition to forwardness
to intermeddle with other people's business ; but as to what be-
longed to his proper business, in the offices he sustained, and
the important affairs of which he had the care, he had a great
understanding of what belonged to them. I have often been
surprised at the length of his reach, and what I have seen of his
ability to foresee and determine the consequences of things,
even at a great distance, and quite beyond the sight of other
men. He was not wavering and unsteady in his opinion. His
manner was never to pass a judgment rashly, but was wont first
thoroughly to deliberate and weigh an affair ; and in this, not-
SER. XIX. A strong Rod broken and withertd, 227
withstanding his great abihties, he was glad to improve by the
help of conversation and discourse with others, (and often spake
of the great advantage he found by it ;) but when, on mature
consideration, he had settled his judgment, he was not easily
turned from it by false colours, and plausible pretences and ap-
pearances.
And besides his knowledge of things belonging to his par-
ticular calling as a ruler, he had also a great degree of under-
standing in things belonging to his general calling as a Christian.
He was no inconsiderable divine. He was a wise casuist, as I
know by the great help 1 have found from time to time by his
judgment and advice in cases of conscience, wherein I have
consulted him. And indeed I scarce knew the divine that I
ever found more able to help and enlighten the mind in such
cases than he. And he had no small degree of knowledge in
things pertaining to experimental religion ; but was wont to dis-
course on such subjects, not only with accurate doctrinal distinc-
tions, but as one intimately and feelingly acquainted with these
things.
He was not only great in speculative knowledge, but his
knowledge was practical ; such as tended to a wise conduct in
the affairs, business, and duties of life ; so as properly to have
the denomination of wisdom, and so as properly and eminently
to invest him with the character of a wise man. And he was
not only eminently wise and prudent in his own conduct, but
was one of the ablest and wisest counsellors of others in any
difficult affair.
The greatness and honourableness of his disposition was
answerable to the largeness of his understanding. He was na-
turally of a great mind; in this respect he was truly the son of
nobles. He greatly abhorred things which were mean and
sordid, and seemed to be incapable of a compliance with them.
How far was he from trifling and impertinence in his conver-
sation ? How far from a busy, meddling disposition ? How far from
any sly and clandestine management to fill his pockets with
what was fraudulently withheld, or violently squeezed from the
labourer, soldier, or inferior officer ? How far from taking ad-
vantage from his commission or authority, or any superior pow-
er he had in his hands; or the ignorance, dependence, or neces-
sities of others, to add to his own gains with what properly
belonged to them, and with what they might justly expect as a
proper reward for any of their services ? How far was he from
secretly taking bribes offered to induce him to favour any man
in his cause, or by his power or interest to promote his being
advanced to any place of public trust, honour, or profit ? How
greatly did he abhor lying and prevarication ? And how immove-
ably steadfast was he to exact truth ? His hatred of those
things that were mean and sordid was so apparent, and well
22c TWENTY SEIIJMOKS ON VARIOUS SUBJECi.S,
known, that it was evident that men dreaded to appear in anv
thing of that nature in his presence.
He was a man of a remarkably public spirit, a true lover
of his country, and who greatly abhorred sacrificing the public
welfare to private interest- He was very eminently endowed
with a spirit of government. The God of nature seemed to
have formed him for government, as though he had been made
on purpose, and cast into a mould, by which he should be every
ivay fitted for the business of a man in public authority. Such
a behaviour and conduct was natural to him, as tended to main-
tain his authority, and possess others with awe and reverence,
and to enfoi'ce and render effectual what he said and did in the
exercise of his authority. He did not bear the sword in vain.
He was truly a terror to evil-doers. What 1 saw in him often put
)ne in mind of that saying of the wise man, Prov. xx. 8. " The
king that sittelh in the throne of judgment scattereth away all
evil with his eyes." He was one that was not afraid of the
faces of men : and every one knew that it was in vain to at-
tempt to deter him from doing what, on mature consideration^
he had determined he ought to do. — Every thing in him was
great, and becoming a man in his public station. Perhaps
never was there a man that appeared in New England, to whom
the denomination of a great man did more properly belong.
But though he was one that was great among men, ex-
alted above others in abilities and greatness of mind, and in the
place of rule, and feared not the faces of men, yet he feared
God. He was strictly conscientious in his conduct, both in
public and private. I never knew the man that seemed more
steadfastly and immoveably to act by principle, and according
to rules and maxims, established and settled in his mind by the
dictates of his judgment and conscience. He was a man of
strict justice and fidelity. Faithfulness was eminently his
character. Some of his greatest opponents that have been of
the contrary party to him in public affairs, yet have openly ac-
knowledged this of him. That he was a faithful man. He was
remarkably faithful in his public trusts. He would not basely
betray his trust, from fear or favour. It was in vain to expect
it; however men might oppose him or neglect him, and how
great soever they were. Nor would he neglect the public inte-
rest committed to him, for the sake of his own ease, but diligent-
ly and laboriously watched and laboured for it night and day.
And he was faithful in private affairs as well as public. He was
a most faithful friend ; faithful to any one that in any case asked
his counsel ; and his fidelity might be depended upon in what-
ever affair he undertook for any of his neighbours.
He was a noted instance of the virtue of temperance, unal-
terable in it, in all places, in all companies, and in the midst of
all temptations. Though he was a man of a great spirit^ vet ho
•SER. XIX. A strong Rod broken and withered. 229
had a remarkable government of his spirit ; and excelled in the
government of his tongue. In the midst of all provocations
from multitudes he had to deal with, and the great multiplicity
of perplexing affairs in which he was concerned, and all the
opposition and reproaches of which he was at any time the sub-
iect ; yet what was there that ever proceeded out of his mouth
that his enemies could lay hold of? No profane language, no
vain, rash, unseemly, and unchristian speeches. If at any time
he expressed himself with great warmth and vigour, it seemed to
be from principle and determination of judgment, rather than
from passion. When he expressed himself strongly, and with
vehemence, those that were acquainted with him, and well ob-
served him from time to time, might evidently see it was done
in consequence of thought and judgment, weighing the circum-
stances and consequences of things.
The calmness and steadiness of his behaviour in private,
particularly in his family, appeared remarkable and exemplary
to those who had most opportunity to observe. He was tho-
roughly established in those religious principles and doctrines of
the first fathers of New England, usually called the doctrines of
grace, and had a great detestation of the opposite errors of the
present fashionable divinity, as very contrary to the word of
God, and the experience of every true Christian. And as he
was a friend to truth, so he was a friend to vital piety and the
power of godliness, and ever countenanced and favoured it on
all occasions.
He abhorred profaneness, and was a person of a serious
and decent spirit, and ever treated sacred things with reverence.
He was exemplary for his decent attendance on the public wor-
ship of God. Who ever saw him irreverently and indecently
lolling, and laying down his head to sleep, or gazing about the
meeting-house in time of divine service? And as he was able
(as was before observed) to discourse very understandingly of
experimental religion, so to some persons with whom he was
very intimate, he gave intimations sufficiently plain, while con-
versing of these things, that they were matters of his own expe-
rience. And some serious persons in civil authority, who have
ordinarily differed from him in matters of government, yet on
some occasional close conversation with him on things of religion,
have manifested a high opinion of him as to real experimental
piety.
As he was known to be a serious person, and an enemy to
a profane or vain conversation, so he was feared on that account
by great and small. When he was in the room, only his pre-
sence was sufficient to maintain decency ; though many were
there accounted great men, who otherwise were disposed to
take a much greater freedom in their talk and behaviour, than
they dared to do in his presence. He was not unmindful of
230 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
death, nor unmindful of his own frailty, nor did death come
unexpected to him. For some years past, he has spoken much
to some persons of dying, and going into the eternal world, sig-
nifying'that he did not expect to continue long here.
Added to all these things, to render him eminently a strong
rod, he was attended with many circumstances which tended to
give him advantage for the exerting of his strength for the pub-
lic good. He was honourably descended, was a man of consi-
derable substance, had been long in authority, was extensively
known and honoured abroad, was high in the esteem of the
many tribes of Indians in the neighbourhood of the British colo-
nies, and so had great influence upon them, above any other
man in New England. God had endowed him with a comely
presence, and majesty of countenance, becoming the great quali-
ties of his mind, and the place in which God had set him.
In the exercise of these qualities and endowments, under
these advantages, he has been, as it were, a father to this part
of the land, on whom the whole country had, under God, its de-'
pendence in all its public affairs, and especially since the begin-
ning of the present war. How much the weight of all the war-
like concerns of the country (which above any part of the land
lies exposed to the enemy) has lain on his shoulders? and how he
has been the spring of all motion, and the doer of every thing
that has been done, and how wisely and faithfully he has con-
ducted these affairs, I need not inform this congregation. You
well know that he took care of the county as a father of a family
of children, not neglecting men's lives, and making light of their
blood ; but with great diligence, vigilance, and prudence, apply-
ing himself continually to the proper means of our safety and
welfare. And especially has this his native town, where he has
dwelt from his infancy, reaped the benefit of his happy influence.
His wisdom has been, under God, very much our guide, and his
authority our support and strength, and he has been a great
honour to Northampton, and ornament to our church. He con-
tinued in full capacity of usefulness while he lived ; he was in-
deed considerably advanced in years, but his powers of mind
were not sensibly abated, and his strength of body was not so
impaired, but that he was able to go long journeys, in extreme
heat and cold, and in a short time.
But now this " strong rod is broken and withered," and
surely the judgment of God therein is very awful, and the dis-
pensation that which may well be for a lamentation. Probably
we shall be more sensible of the worth and importance of such
a strong rod by the want of it. The awful voice of God in this
providence is worthy to be attended to by this whole province,
and especially by the people of this county, but in a more pecu-
liar manner by us of this town. We have now this testimony
of the divine displeasure, added to all the other dark clouds God
SER. XIX. vi strong Rod broken and withered. 231
has lately brought over us, and his awful frowns upon us. It is
a dispensation, on many accounts, greatly calling for our humi-
liation and fear before God ; an awful manifestation of his su-
preme, universal, and absolute dominion, calling us to adore the
divine sovereignty, and tremble at the presence of this great
God. And it is a lively instance of human frailty und mortality.
We see how that none are out of the reach of death, that no
greatness, no authority, no wisdom and sagacity, no honourable-
ness of person or station no degree of valuableness and impor-
tance, exempts from the stroke of death. This is therefore a
loud and solemn warning to all sorts to prepare for their depar-
ture hence.
And the memory of this person who is now gone, who was
made so great a blessing while he lived, should engage us to
show respect and kindness to his family. This we should do
both out of respect to him and to his father, your former emi-
nent pastor, who in his day was in a remarkable manner a fa-
ther to this part of the land in spirituals, and especially to this
town, as this his son has been in temporals. — God greatly resen-
ted it, when the children of Israel did not show kindness to the
house of Jerubbaal that had been made an instrument of so
much good to them, Judges viii. 35. "Neither showed they
kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, according to all the good
which he had showed unto Israel/'
SERMON XX.
TRUE GRACE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EXPERIENCE
OF DEVILS.
James ii. 19.
Jliou believest that there is one God ; thou (lost well : the devils
also believCf and tremble-
Observe in these words, — 1. Something that some depen-
ded on, as an evidence of their good estate and acceptance, as
the objects of God's favour, viz. a speculative faith, or belief of
the doctrines of religion. The great doctrine of the existence
of one only God is particularly mentioned ; probably, because
this was a doctrine wherein, especially, there was a visible and
noted distinction between professing Christians and the heathens,
amongst whom the Christians in those days were dispersed.
And therefore, this was what many trusted in, as what recom-
mended them to, or at least was an evidence of their interest
in the great spiritual and eternal privileges, in which real
Christians were distinguished from the rest of the world.
2. How much is allowed concerning this faith, viz. That
it is a good attainment ; " Thou dost well." It was good, as it
was necessary. This doctrine was one of the fundamental doc-
trines of Christianity ; and, in some respects, above all others
fundamental. It was necessary to be believed, in order to sal-
vation. To be without the belief of this doctrine, especially in
those that had such advantage to know as they had to whom
the apostle wrote, would be a great sin, and what would vastly
aggravate their damnation. This belief was also good, as it had
a good tendency in many respects.
* Prcacbed before the Synod of New Yoik, convened at NcTv'aik. in New
.Tersey, on September 2S, N. S. 1752.
lER. Xi. ^True Grace disUnguished, i^i-c. 233
3. What is implicitly denied concerning it, viz. That it is
any evidence of a person's being in a state of salvation. The
whole context shows this to be the design of the apostle in the
words. And it is particularly manifest, by the conclusion of the
verse ; which is,
4. The thing observable in the words, viz. The argument
by which the apostle proves, that this is no sign of a state of
grace, viz. that it is found in the devils. They believe that
there is one God, and that he is a holy, sin-hating God ; and
that he is a God of truth, and will fulfil his threatenings, by
which he has denounced future judgments, and a great increase
of misery on them ; and that he is an almighty God, and able
to execute his threatened vengeance upou them.
Therefore, the doctrine 1 itifer from the words to make the
subject of my present discourse, is this, viz. Nothing in the
mind of man, that is of the same nature with what the devils
experience, or are the subjects of, is any sure sign of savmg
grace.
If there be any thing that the devils have, or find in them-
selves, which is an evidence of the saving grace of the Spirit
of God, then the apostle's argument is not good : which is plaiti-
ly this : " That which is in the devils, or which they do, is no
certain evidence of grace. But the devils believe that there is
one God. Therefore, thy believing that there is one God, is no
sure evidence that thou art gracious." So that the whole
foundation of the apostle's argument lies in that proposition: —
'* That which is in the devils, is no certain sign of grace." —
Nevertheless, I shall mention tvro or three farther reasons, or
arguments of the truth of this doctrine.
1. The devils have no degree of holiness : and, therefore^
those things which are nothing beyond what they are the sub-
jects of, cannot be holy experiences.
The devil once was holy ; but when he fell, he lost all his
holiness, and became perfectly wicked. He is the greatest
sinner, and, in some sense, tiie father of all sin. John viii. 44.
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father
ye will do : He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode
not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and
the father of it." 1 John iii. 8. " He that committeth sin, is
of the devil ; for the devil sinneth from the beginning." He
is often spoken of, by way of eminence, as " the wicked one."
So, Matt. xiii. 19. "Then cometh the wicked one, and
catcheth away that which was sown in his heart." Verse 38.
" The tares are the children of the wicked one/' I John ii«
13. "I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome
Vol. VI. 30
234 TWENTl' SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the wicked one." Chap. iii. 12. "Not as Cain, who was oi
that wicked one." Chap. v. 18. " Whosoever is born of God,
keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." So
the devils are called evil spirits, unclean spirits, powers of dark-
ness, rulers of the darkness of this world, and wickedness itself.
Eph. vi. 12. " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places."
Therefore, surely, those things which the minds of devils
are the subjects of, can have nothing of the nature of true ho-
liness in them. The knowledge and understanding which they
have of the things of God and religion, cannot be of the nature
of divine and holy light, nor any knowledge that is merely of
the same kind. No impressions made on their hearts, can be
of a spiritual nature. That kind of sense which they have of
divine things, however great, cannot be a holy sense. Such
affections as move their hearts, however powerful, cannot be
holy affections. If there be no holiness in them, as they are in
the devil, there can be no holiness in them as they are in man;
unless something be added to them, beyond what is in the devil.
And if any thing be added to them, then they are not the same
things ; but are something beyond what devils are the subjects
of; which is contrary to the supposition ; for the proposition
which I am upon is, that those things which are of the same
nature, and nothing beyond what devils are the subjects of,
cannot be holy experiences. It is not the subject that makes
the affection, or experience, or quality holy ; but it is the
quality that makes the subject holy.
And if those qualities and experiences which the devils
are the subjects of, have nothing of the nature of holiness in
them, then they can be no certain signs, that persons which
have them are holy or gracious. There is no certain sign of
true grace, but those things which are spiritual and gracious.
It is God's image that is his seal and mark, the stamp by which
those that are his, are known. But that which has nothing of
the nature of holiness, has nothing of this image. That which
is a sure sign of grace, must either be something which has the
nature and essence of grace, or flows from, or some way be-
longs to its essence : For that which distinguishes things one
from another, is the essence, or something appertaining to their
essence. And, therefore, that which is sometimes found wholly
without the essence of holiness, or grace, can be no essential,
sure, or distinguishing mark of grace.
II. The devils are not only absolutely without all true
holiness, but they are not so much as the subjects of any com-
mon grace.
tiJER. XX. True Grace distinguished, 4*c. 235
If any should imagine, that some things may be signs of
grace which are not grace itself, or which have nothing of the
nature and essence of grace and holiness in them ; yet, certainly
they will allow, that the qualifications which are sure evidences
of grace, must be things that are near akin to grace, or having
some remarkably affinity with it. But the devils are not only
wholly destitute of any true holiness, but they are at the greatest
distance from it, and have nothing in them in any wise akin to it.
There are many in this world who are wholly destitute of
saving grace, who yet have common grace. They have no true
holiness, but nevertheless have something of that which is call-
ed moral virtue ; and are the subjects of some degree of the
common influences of the Spirit of God. It is so with those in
general that live under the light of the gospel and are not given
up to judicial blindness and hardness. Yea, those that are thus
given up, yet have some degree of restraining grace while they
live in this world ; without which the earth could not bear
them, and they would in no measure be tolerable members of
human society. But when any are damned, or cast into hell, as
the devils are, God wholly withdraws his restraining grace, and
all merciful influences of his Spirit whatsoever. They have
neither saving grace nor common grace ; neither the grace of
the Spirit, nor any of the common gifts of the Spirit ; neither
true holiness, nor moral virtue of any kind. Hence arises the
vast increase of the exercise of wickedness in the hearts of men
when they are damned. And herein is the chief ditTerence be-
tween the damned in hell, and unregenerate and graceless men
in this world. Not that wicked men in this world have any
more holiness or true virtue than the damned, or have wicked
men, when they leave this world any principles of wickedness,
infused into them : but when men are cast into hell, God per-
fectly takes away his Spirit from them, as to all its merciful
common influences, and entirely withdraws from them all re-
straints of his Spirit and good providence. ,
III. It is unreasonable to suppose, that a person's being in ^
any respect as the devil is, should be a certain sign that he is
very unlike and opposite to him, and hereafter shall not have his
part with him. True saints are extremely unlike and contrary
to the devil, both relatively and really. They are so relatively.
The devil is the grand rebel ; the chief enemy of God and
Christ; the object of God's greatest wrath; a condemned male-
factor, utterly rejected and cast off by him ; for ever shut out of
his presence ; the prisoner of his justice ; an everlasting inha-
bitant of the infernal world. The saints, on the contrary, are
the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem ; members of the family
of the glorious King of heaven ; the children of God ; the bre-
thren and spouse of his dear Son ; heirs of God ; joint heirs
with Christ ; kings and priests unto God. And they are ex-
236 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
frcmely different rmlly. The devil, on account of his hateiul
nature, and those accursed dispositions which reign in him, is
called Satan, the adversary, Abaddon and Apollyon, the great
destroyer, the wolf, (he roaring lion, the great dragon, the old
serpent. The saints are represented as God's holy ones, his
anointed ones, the excellent of the earth ; the meek of the earth ;
lambs and doves ; Christ's little children ; having the {image of
God, pure in heart; God's jewels; lilies in Christ's garden;
plants of paradise ; stars of heaven ; temples of the living God.
The saints, so far as they are saints, are as diverse from the de-
vil, as heaven is from hell ; and much more contrary than light
is to darkness : and the eternal state that they are appointed to,
is answerably diverse and contrary.
Now, it is not reasonable to suppose, that being in any
respect as Satan is, or being the subject of any of the same
properties, qualifications, affections, or actions, that are in him,
is any certain evidence that persons are thus exceeding different
from him, and in circumstances so diverse, and appointed to an
eternal state so extremely contrary in all respects. Wicked
men are in scripture called the children of the devil. Now is
it reasonable to suppose, that men's being in any respect as the
devil is, can be a certain sign that they are not his children, but
the children of the infinitely holy and blessed God ? We are
informed, that wicked men shall hereafter have their part with
devils ; shall be sentenced to the same everlasting fire which is
prepared for the devil and his angels. Now, can a man's being
like the devil in any respect be a sure token that he shall not
have his part with him, but with glorious angels, and with .Jesua
Christ, dwelling with him, where he is, that he may behold and
partake of his glory ?
IMPROVEMENT.
Thej??-5f use may lie in several inferences, for our m-
siruclxon.
I. From what has been said, it may be inferred, by parity
of reason, that nothing that damned men do, or ever will expe-
ric7ice, can be any sure sign of grace.
Damned men are like the devils, are conformed to them
in nature and state. They have nothing better in them than
the devils, have no higher principles in their hearts ; experience
nothing, and do nothing of a more excellent kind ; as they are
the children and servants of the devil ; and as such, shall dwell
with him, and be partakers with him of the same misery. As
Christ says, concerning the saints in their future state, Matt. xxii.
13. " That they shall be as the angels of God in heaven :" so it
may be said concerning ungodly men in their future state, that
they shall be as the fallen, wicked angels in hell.
SER. XX. True Grace distinguished, 4rc. 237
Each of the forementioned reasons, given to show the
truth of the doctrine with respect to devils, holds good with re--
spect to damned men. Damned men have no degree of holi-
ness ; and therefore those things which are nothing beyond what
they have, cannot be holy experiences. Damned men are not
only absolutely destitute of all true hohness, but they have not so
much as any common grace. And lastly, it is unreasonable to
suppose, that a person's being in any respect as the damned in
hell are, should be a certain sign that they are very unlike and
opposite to them, and hereafter shall not have their portion
with them.
II. We may hence infer, that no degree o{ speculative knozo-
ledge of things of religion is any certain sign of saving grace.
The devil, before his fall, was among those bright and glorious
angels of heaven, which are represented as morning-stars, and
flames of fire, that excel in strength and wisdom. And though
he be now become sinful, yet his sin has not abolished the fa-
culties of the angelic nature ; as when man fell, he did not lose
the faculties of the human nature. — Sin destroys spiritual prin-
ciples, but not the natural faculties. It is true, sin, when in full
dominion, entirely prevents the exercise of the natural faculties
in holy and spiritual understanding ; and lays many impediments
in the way of their proper exercises in other respects. It lays
the natural faculty of reason under great disadvantages, by many
and strong prejudices ; and in fallen men, the faculties of the
soul are, doubtless, greatly impeded in their exercise, through
that great weakness and disorder of the corporeal organ to which
it is strictly united, and which is the consequence of sin. — But
there seems to be nothing in the nature of sin, or moral corrup-
tion, that has any tendency to destroy the natural capacity, or
even to diminish it, properly speaking. If sin were of such a
n^ature as necessarily to have that tendency and effect; then it
might be expected, that wicked men, in a future state, where
they are given up entirely to the unrestrained exercise of their
corruptions and lusts, and sin is in all respects brought to its
greatest perfection in them, would have the capacity of their
souls greatly diminished. This we have no reason to suppose ;
but rather, on the contrary, that their capacities are greatly enlar-
ged, and that their actual knowledge is vastly increased ; and that
even with respect to the Divine Being, and the things of rehgion,
and the great concerns of the immortal souls of men, the eyes
of wicked men are opened, when they go into anotlier world.
The greatness of the abilities of devils may be argued,
from the representation in Eph. vi. 12. " We wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers," &:c.
The same may also be argued from what the scripture says of
Satan's subtiltv. Gen. iii. 1. 2 Cor. xi. 3. Acts xiii. 10. And
238 TWEIv'TV SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
as the devil has a faculty of understanding of large capacity, so
he is capable of a great speculative knowledge of the things of
God, and the invisible and eternal world, as well as other things ;
and must needs actually have a great understanding of these
things ; as these have always been chiefly in his view ; and as
his circumstances, from his first existence, have been such as
have tended chiefly to engage him to attend to these things.
Before his fall, he was one of those angels who continually be-
held the face of the Father in heaven ; and sin has no tendency
to destroy the memory, and therefore has no tendency to blot
out of it any speculative knowledge that was formerly there.
As the devil's subtilty shows his great capacity ; so the
way in which his subtilty is exercised and manifested — which is
principally in his artful management with respect to things of
religion, his exceeding subtle representations, insinuations, rea-
sonings, and temptations, concerning these things — demonstrates
his great actual understanding of them ; as, in order to be a very
artful disputant in any science, though it be only to confound
and deceive such as are conversant in it, a person had need to
have a great and extensive acquaintance with the things which
pertain to that science.
Thus the devil has undoubtedly a great degree of specu-
lative knowledge in divinity ; having been, as it were, edu-
cated in the best divinity school in the universe, viz. the
heaven of heavens. He must needs have such an extensive
and accurate knowledge concerning the nature and attributes
of God, as we, worms of the dust, in our present state, are
not capable of. And he must have a far more extensive
knowledge of the works of God, as of the work of creation
in particular; for he was a spectator of the creation of this
visible world ; he was one of those morning-stars (Job xxxviii.
4 — 7.) " who sang together, and of those sons of God, that
shouted for joy, when God laid the foundations of the earth,
and laid the measures thereof, and stretched the line upon it."
And so he must have a very great knowledge of God's works
of providence. He has been a spectator of the series of these
works from the beginning ; he has seen how God has governed
the world in all ages ; and he has seen the whole train of God's
wonderful successive dispensations of Providence towards his
church from generation to generation. And he has not been
an indifferent spectator ; but the great opposition between God
and him, in the whole course of those dispensations, has neces-
sarily engaged his attention in the strictest observation of them.
He must have a great degree of knowledge concerning Jesus
Christ, as the Saviour of men, and the nature and method of
the work of redemption, and the wonderful wisdom of God in
this contrivance. It is that work of God wherein, above all
others, God has acted in opposition to him. and in which he
SER. XX. 2Vue Grace distinguished, <^c. 239
has chiefly set himself in opposition to God. It is with rela-
tion to this affair, that the mighty warfare has been maintained,
which has been carried on between Michael and his angels, and
the devil and his angels, through all ages, from the beginning
of the world, and especially since Christ appeared. The devil
has had enough to engage his attention to the steps of divine
wisdom in this work ; for it is to that wisdom he has opposed
his subtilty, and he has seen and found, to his great disap-
pointment, and unspeakable torment, how divine wisdom, as
exercised in that work, has baffled and confounded his devices.
He has a great knowledge of the things of another world ; for
the things of that world are in his immediate view. He has a
great knowledge of heaven, for he has been an inhabitant of
that world of glory : and he has a great knowledge of hell, and
the nature of its misery ; for he is the first inhabitant of hell ;
and above all the other inhabitants, has experience of its tor-
ment, and has felt them constantly, for more than fifty-seven
hundred years. He must have a great knowledge of the holy
scriptures ; for it is evident, he is not hindered from knowing
what is written there, by the use he made of the words of scrip-
ture in his temptation of our Saviour. And if he can know,
he has much opportunity to know, and must needs have a dis-
position to know, with the greatest exactness ; that he may, to
greater effect, pervert and wrest the scripture, and prevent such
an effect of the word of God on the hearts of men, as shall
tend to overthrow his kingdom. He must have a great know-
ledge of the nature of mankind, their capacity, their disposi-
tions, and the corruptions of their hearts ; for he has had long
and great observation and experience. The heart of man is
what he had chiefly to do with, in his subtle devices? mighty
efforts, restless and indefatigable operations and exertions of
himself, from the beginning of the world. And it is evident,
that he has a great speculative knowledge of the nature of ex-
perimental religion, by his being able to imitate it so artfully,
and in such a manner as to transform himself into an angel of
light.
Therefore, it is manifest, from my text and doctrine, that
no degree of speculative knowledge of religion, is any certain
sign of true piety. Whatever clear notions a man may have
of the attributes of God, the doctrine of the Trinity, the na-
ture of the two covenants, the economy of the persons of the
Trinity, and the part which each person has in the affair of
man's redemption ; if he can discourse never so excellently of
the offices of Christ, and the way of salvation by him, and the
admirable methods of divine wisdom, and the harmony of the
various attributes of God in that Avay ; if he can talk never so
clearly and exactly, of the method of the justification of a
sinher, and of the nature of conversion, and the operations of
240 TWEN'f if SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the Spirit of God, in applying the redemption of Christ;
giving good distinctions, happily solving difficulties, and an-
swering objections, in a manner tending greatly to enlighten
the ignorant, to the edification of the church of God, and the
Conviction of gainsayers, and the great increase of light in
the world : If he has more knowledge of this sort than hun-
dreds of true saints, of an ordinary education, and most di-
vines ; yet, all is no certain evidence of any degree of saving
grace in the heart.
It is true, the scripture often speaks of knowledge of di-
vine things, as what is peculiar to true saints ; as in John xvii.
3. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Matthew
xi. 27. " No man knoweth the Son, but the Father : neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whom-
soever the Son will reveal him." Psal. ix- 10. ''They that
know thy name, will put their trust in thee." Philip, iii. 8.
" I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the know-
ledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." But then we must under-
stand it of a different kind of knowledge from that speculative
understanding which the devil has to so great a degree. It will
be also allowed, that the spiritual saving knowledge of God and
divine things, greatly promotes speculative knowledge, as it en-
gages the mind in its search into things of this kind, and much
assists to a distinct understanding of them ; so that, other things
being equal, they who have spiritual knowledge, are much more
likely than others to have a good doctrinal acquaintance with
things of religion ; but yet such acquaintance may be no dis-
tinguishing characteristic of true saints.
III. It may, also, be inferred, from what has been observed,
that for persons merely to yield a speculative assent to the
doctrines of religion, as true, is no certain evidence of a state
of grace. My text tells us, that the devils believe ; and, as
they believe that there is one God, so they believe the truth of
the doctrines of religion in general. The devil is orthodox in
his faith ; he believes the true scheme of doctrine ; he is no
Deist, Socinian, Arian, Pelagian, or Antinomian; the articles?
of his faith are all sound, and in them he is thoroughly esta-
blished.
Therefore, for a person to believe the doctrines of Chris-
tianity, merely from the force of arguments, as discerned only
by speculation, is no evidence of grace.
It is probably a very rare thing for unregenerate men to
have a strong persuasion of the truth of the doctrines of reli-
gion, especially such of them as are very mysterious, and much
above the comprehension of reason. Yet, if he be very confi-
dent of the truth of Christianity and its doctrines, and is able
SEK. XX. True Grace distinguished, ^^c. 241
to argue most strongly for the proof of them, in this he goes
nothing beyond the devil ; who, doubtless, has a great know-
ledge of the rational arguments by which the truth of the
Christian religion and its several principles are evinced.
And, therefore, when the scripture speaks of believing that
Jesus is the So7i of God, as a sure evidence of grace, as in 1
John V. 1. and other places, it must be understood, not of a
mere speculative assent, but of another kind and manner of
believing, which is called the faith of God's elect, Titus i. 1 .
There is a spiritual conviction of the truth, which is a believing
with the whole heart, peculiar to true saints; of which! shall
speak more particularly.
IV. It may be inferred from the doctrine which has been
insisted on, that it is no certain sign of persons being savingly
converted, that they have been subjects of very great distress
and terrors of mind, through apprehensions of God's wrath,
and fears of damnation.
That the devils are the subjects of great terrors, through
apprehensions of God's wrath, and fears of its future effects, is
implied in my text ; which speaks not only of their believing,
but trembling. It must be no small degree of terror which
should make those principalities and powers, those mighty,
proud, and sturdy beings, to tremble.
There are many terrors that some persons who are con-
cerned for their salvation, are the subjects of, which are not
from any proper awakenings of conscience, or apprehensions
of truth, but from melancholy or frightful impressions on their
imagination ; or some groundless apprehensions, and the delu-
sions and false suggestions of Satan. But if they have had
never so great and long-continued terrors from real awaken-
ings, and convictions of truth, and views of things as they are,
this is no more than what is in the devils, and will be in all
wicked men in another world. However stupid and senseless
most ungodly men are now, all will be effectually awakened
at last. There will be no such thing as slumbering in hell.
There are many that cannot be awakened by the most solemn
warnings and awful threatenings of the word of God — the most
alarming discourses from the pulpit, and the most awakening
and awful providences — but all will be thoroughly awakened
by the sound of the last trumpet, and the appearance of Christ
to judgment. All sorts will then be filled with most amazing
terrors, from apprehensions of truth, and seeing things as they
are; \yhen " the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the
rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, (such
as were the most lofty and stout-hearted, most ready to treat
the things of rehgion with contempt,) shall hide themselves in
the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains ; and say to the
Vol. VT. :^1
242 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of
Ilim that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb ;
for the great day of his wrath is come ; and who shall be able
to stand?" Rev. vi. 15—17. Therefore, if persons have been
first awakened, and afterwards have had comfort and joy, it is
no certain sign that their comforts are of the right kind, be-
cause they were preceded by very great terrors.
V. It may be further inferred from the doctrine, That no
2oork of the law on men's hearts, in conviction of guilt, and just
desert of punishment, is a sure argument that a person has been
savingly converted.
Not only are no awakenings and terrors any certain evi-
dence of this, but no mere legal work whatsoever, though car-
ried to the utmost extent. Nothing wherein there is no grace
or spiritual light, but only the mere conviction of natural con-
science, and those acts and operations of the mind, which are
the result of this — and so are, as it were, merely forced by the
clear light of conscience, without the concurrence of the heart
and inclination with that light — is any certain sign of the saving
grace of God, or that a person was ever savingly converted.
The evidence of this, from my text and doctrine, is demon-
strative : because the devils are the subjects of these things ; and
all wicked men that shall finally perish, will be the subjects
of the same. Natural conscience is not extinguished in the
damned in hell ; but, on the contrary, remains there in its
greatest strength, and is brought to its most perfect exercise ;
most fully to do its proper office as God's vicegerent in the
soul, to condemn those rebels against the King of heaven and
earth, and manifest God's just wrath and vengeance, and by that
means to torment them, and be as a never-dying worm within
them. Wretched men find means in this world to blind the
eyes and stop the mouth of this vicegerent of a sin-revenging
God ; but they shall not be able to do it always. In another
world, the eyes and mouth of conscience will be fully opened.
God will hereafter make wicked men to see and know these
things from which now they industriously hide their eyes, Isa.
xxvi. 10, l\. " Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will
he not learn righteousness : in the land of uprightness will he
deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.
Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see : but they
shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people, yea, the
fire of thine enemies shall devour them." We have this ex-
pression often annexed to God's threatenings of wrath to his
enemies ; " And they shall know that I am the Lord r" this
shall be accomplished by their woful experience* and clear
light in their consciences, whereby they shall be made to know,
whether they will or not, how great and terrible, holy and righ-
eeft. XX. True Grace, distinguished, ^c, 243
teous a God Jehovah is, whose authority they have despised ;
and they shall know that he is righteous and holy in their de-
struction. This is all the ungodly will be convinced of at the
day of judgment, by the bringing to light of all their wickedness
of heart and practice ; and setting all their sins, with all their
aggravations, in order, not only in the view of others, even of
the whole world, but in the view of their own consciences.
This is threatened. Psalm 1. 21 . " These things thou hast done,
and I kept silence : thou thoughtest that I was altogether such
an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order
before thine eyes." Compare this with the four first verses of
the psalm. The design of the day of judgment is not to ftnd
out what is just, as it is with human judgments ; but it is to mani-
fest what is just; to make known God's justice in the judgment
which he will execute, to men's own consciences, and to the
world. And therefore that day is called " the day of wrath, and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God," Rom. ii. 5. Now
sinners often cavil against the justice of God's dispensations, and
particularly the punishment which he threatens for their sins ;
excusing themselves and condemning him : but when God comes
to manifest their wickedness in the light of that day, and to call
them to an account, they will be speechless ; Matt. xxii. 11,
12. " And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw
there a man which had not on a wedding-garment : and he saith
unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wed-
ding-garment ? And he was speechless." When the King of
heaven and earth comes to judgment, their consciences will
be so perfectly enlightened and convinced by the all-searching
Light they shall then stand in, that their mouths will be effec-
tually stopped, as to all excuses for themselves, all pleading of
their own righteousness to excuse or justify them, and all objec-
tions against the justice of their Judge, that their conscience will
condemn them only, and not God.
Therefore it follows from the doctrine, that it can be no cer-
tain sign of grace, that persons have had great convictions of
sin. Suppose they have had their sins of life, with their aggra-
vations, remarkably set before them, so as greatly to affect and
terrify them ; and withal, have had a great sight of the wicked-
ness of their hearts, the greatness of the sin of unbelief, and of
the unexcusableness and heinousness of their most secret spi-
ritual iniquities. Perhaps they have been convinced of the
utter insufficiency of their own righteousness, and they despair
of being recommended to God by it ; have been convinced that
they are wholly without excuse before God, and deserve damna-
tion ; and that God would be just in executing the threatened
punishment upon them, though it be so dreadful. All these
things will be in the ungodly at the day of judgment, when they
shall stand with devils, at the left hand, and shall be doomed as
accursed to everlasting fire with them.
244 TWENTY SERMONS ON VAKIOUS SUBJECTS.
Indeed there will be no submission in them. Their con-
science will be convinced that God is just in their condemna-
tion ; but yet their wills will not be bowed to God's justice.
There will be no acquiescence of mind in that divine attribute ;
no yielding of the soul to God's sovereignty, but the highest de-
gree of enmity and opposition. A true submission of the heart
and will to the justice and sovereignty of God, is therefore al-
lowed to be something peculiar to true converts, being something
which the devils and damned souls are and ever will be far from ;
and to which a mere work of the law, and convictions of con-
science, however great and clear, will never bring men.
When sinners are the subjects of great convictions of con-
science, and a remarkable work of the law, it is only transacting
the business of the day of judgment in the conscience before-
hand. God sits enthroned in the conscience, as at the last day
)jc will sit enthroned in the clouds of heaven ; the sinner is ar-
raigned as it were at God's bar : and God appears in his awful
greatness, as a just and holy, sin-hating, and sin-revenging God,
as he will then. The sinner's iniquities are brought to light ;
his sins set in order before him : the hidden things of darkness,
and the counsels of the heart are made manifest, as it will be then.
Many witnesses do, as it were, rise up against the sinner under
convictions of conscience, as they will against the wicked at the
day of judgment; and the books are opened, particularly the
book of God's strict and holy law is opened in the conscience,
and its rules applied for the condemnation of the sinner : which
is the book that will be opened at the day of judgment, as the
grand rule to all such wicked men as have lived under it. And
the sentence of the law is pronounced against the sinner, and the
justice of the sentence made manifest, as it will be at the day of
judgment. The conviction of a sinner at the day of judgment
will be a work of the law, as well as the conviction of conscience
in this world : and the work of the law (if the work be merely
legal) is never carried farther in the consciences of sinners now
than it will be at that day, when its work will be perfect in tho-
roughly stopping the sinner's mouth ; Rom. iii. 19. " Now we
know that what things soever the liw saith, it saith to them who
are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God." Every mouth shall
be stopped by the law, either now or hereafter ; and all the world
shall become sensibly guilty before God, guilty of death, de-
serving of damnation. — And therefore, if sinners have been the
subjects of a great work of the law, and have thus become
guilty, and their mouths have been stopped ; it is no certain
sign that ever they have been converted.
Indeed the want of a thorough sense of guilt, and desert of
punishment, and conviction of the justice of God, in threaten-
ing damnation, is a sign that a person never was converted, and
truly brought, with the whole soul, to embrace Christ as a Sa-
I
J
SER. XX. True Grace distinguished, ^c. 245
viour from this punishment : for it is easily demonstrable, that
there is no such thing as entirely and cordially accepting an offer
of a Saviour from a punishment which we think we do not de-
serve. But having such a conviction is no certain sign that per-
sons have true faith, or have ever truly received Christ as their
Saviour. And if persons have great comfort, joy, and confi-
dence suddenly let into their minds, after great convictions, it is
no infallible evidence that their comforts are built on a good
foundation.
It is manifest, therefore, that too much stress has been laid
by many persons, on a great work of the law preceding their
comforts ; who seem not only to have looked on such a work of
the law as necessary to precede faith, but also to have esteemed
it as the chief evidence of the truth and genuineness of suc-
ceeding faith and comforts. By this means it is to be feared
very many have been deceived, and established in a false hope.
And what is to be seen in the event of things, in multitudes of
instances, confirms this. It may be safely allowed that it is not
so usual for great convictions of conscience to prove abortive,
and fail of a good issue, as for lesser convictions ; and that more
generally when the Spirit of God proceeds so far with sinners,
in the work of the law, as to give them a great sight of their
hearts, and of the heinousness of their spiritual iniquities 5 and
to convince them that they are without excuse ; — and that all
their righteousness can do nothing to merit God's favours; but
they lie justly exposed to God's eternal vengeance without mercy
— a work of saving conversion follows. Bat we can have no
warrant to say it is universally so, or to lay it down as an infalli-
ble rule, that when convictions of conscience have gone thus
far, saving faith and repentance will surely follow. If any should
think they have ground for such a determination, because they
cannot conceive what end God should have in carrying a work
of conviction to such a length, and so preparing the heart for
faith, and after all, never giving saving faith to the soul ; I desire
it may be considered, where will be the end of our doubts and
difficulties, if we think ourselves sufficient to determine so posi-
tively and particularly concerning God's ends and designs in
what he does. It may be asked such an objector, what is God's
end in giving a sinner any degree of the sirivings of his Spirit,
and conviction of conscience, when he afterwards suffers it to
come to nothing ?
If he may give some degree that may finally be in vain, who
shall set the bounds, and say how great the degree shall be ?
Who can, on sure grounds, determine, that when a sinner has so
much of that conviction which the devils and damned in hell
have, true faith and eternal salvation will be the certain conse-
quence ? This we may certainly determine, that, if the apos-
tle's argument in the text be good, not any thing whatsoever
246 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
that the devils have is certainly connected with such a conse-
quence. Seeing sinners, while such, are capable of the most
perfect convictions, and will have them at the day of judgment,
and in hell ; who shall say that God never shall cause reprobates
to anticipate the future judgment and damnation in that respect?
And if he does so, who shall say to him, what doest thou ? Or
call him to account concerning his ends in so doing ? Not but
that many possible wise ends might be thought of, and men-
tioned, if it were needful, or I had now room for it. — The Spi-
rit of God is often quenched by the exercise of the wickedness
of men's hearts, after he has gone far in a work of conviction,
so that their convictions never have a good issue. And who
can sa}* that sinners, by the exercise of their opposition and en-
mity against God, which is not at all mortified by the greatest
legal convictions, neither in the damned in hell, nor sinners on
earth, may not provoke God to take his Spirit from them, even
after he has proceeded the greatest length in a work of convic-
tion ? Who can say that God never is provoked to destroy
some, after he has brought them, as it were, through the wilder-
ness, even to the edge of the land of rest ? As he slew some of
the Israelites, even in the plains of Moab.
And let it be considered, where is our warrant in scripture
to make use of any legal convictions, or any method or order of
successive events in a work of the law, and consequent com-
forts, as a sure sign of regeneration. The scripture is abundant
in expressly mentioning evidences of grace, and of a state of
favour with God, as characteristics of true saints. But where
do we ever find such things as these amongst those evidences ?
Or where do we find any other signs insisted on, besides grace
itself, its iiature, exercises, and fruits ? These were the evi-
dences that Job relied upon : these were the things that the
Psalmist every where insists upon as evidences of his sincerity,
and particularly in the 1 19th Psalm, from the beginning to the
end : these were the signs that Hezekiah trusted to in his sick-
ness.
These were the characteristics of those that are truly
iiappy, given by our Saviour in the beginning of his sermon on
the Mount. These are the things that Christ mentions, as the
true evidences of being his real disciples, in his last and dying
discourse to his disciples, in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters
of John, and in his intercessary prayer, chap. xvii. These arc
the things which the apostle Paul often speaks of as evidences
of his sincerity, and sure title to a crown of glory. And these
are the things he often mentions to others, in his epistles, as
the proper evidences of real Christianity, a justified state, and
a title to glory. He insists on the fruits of the Spirit ; love,
joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance, as the proper evidences of being Christ's, and
bER. XX. True Grace distinguished, ^c. 247
living in the Spirit : Gal. v. 22 — 25. It is that charity, or
divine love, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be in-
treated, full of mercy, &c. that he insists on, as the most es-
sential evidence of true godhness ; without which, all other
things are nothing. Such are the signs which the apostle
James insists on, as the proper evidence of a truly wise and
good man : James iii. 17. " The wisdom that is from above,
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy." And such are the signs of true Christianity,
which the apostle John insists on throughout his epistles. And
we never have, any where in the Bible, from the beginning to
the end of it, any other signs of godliness given, than such as
these. If persons have such things as these apparently in them,
it ought to be determined that they are truly converted, with-
out its being first known what method the Spirit of God took
to introduce these things into the soul, which oftentimes is al-
together untraceable. A'i the works of God are, in some re-
spects, unsearchable : but the scripture often represents the
works of the Spirit of God, as pecuHarly so; Isaiah xl. 13.
" Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his coun-
sellor, hath taught him ?" Eccles. xi. 5. " As thou knowest
not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow
in the womb of her that is with child : so thou knowest not the
works of God, who maketh all." John iii. 8. " The wind
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goetb : so is
every one that is born of the Spirit."
VI. It follows from my text, and doctrine. That it is no
certain sign of grace, that persons have earnest desires and
longings after salvation.
The devils, doubtless, long for deliverance from the misery
they suffer, and from that greater misery which they expect.
If they tremble through fear of it, they must, necessarily, ear-
nestly desire to be delivered from it. Wicked men are, in scrip-
ture, represented as longing for the privileges of the righteous,
when the door is shut, and they are shut out from among them :
They come to the door, and cry. Lord, Lord, open to us.
Therefore, we are not to look on all desires that are very
earnest and vehement, as certain evidences of a pious heart.
There are earnest desires of a religious nature, which the saints
have, that are the proper breathings of a new nature, and dis-
tinguishing qualities of true saints : but there are, also, longings,
which unregenerate men may have, which are often mistaken
for marks of godliness. They think they hunger and thirst
after righteousness, and have earnest desires after God and
Christ, and long for heaven ; when, indeed, all is to be resolved
"248 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
into self-love ; and so is a longing which arises from no higher
principles than the earnest desires of devils.
VII. It may be inferred, from what has been observed,
That persons who have no grace, may have a great apprehen-
sion of an external glory in things, heavenly and divine, and of
whatsoever is external pertaining to religion.
If persons have impressed strongly on their minds ideas
obtained by the external senses, whether by the ear, as any
kind of sound, pleasant music, or words spoken of excellent
signification ; words of scripture, suitable to their case, or
adapted to the subject of their meditations : or ideas obtained
by the eye, as of a visible beauty and glory, a shining light,
golden streets, gates of precious stone, a most magnificent
throne, surrounded by angels and saints, in shilling ranks : or,
any thing external belonging to Jesus Christ, either in his hum-
bled state, as hanging on the cross, with his crown of thorns,
his wounds open, and blood trickling down ; or in his glorified
state, with awful majesty, or ravishing beauty, and sweetness
in his countenance ; his face shining above the brightness of the
sun, and the like : these things are no certain signs of grace.
Multitudes that are now in hell, will have ideas of the
external glory that pertains to things heavenly, far beyond
whatever any have in this world. They will see all that ex-
ternal glory and beauty, in which Christ will appear at the day
of judgment, when the sun shall be turned into darkness before
him ; which, doubtless, will be ten thousand times greater
than ever was impressed on the imagination of either saints or
sinners in this present state, or ever was conceived by any mor-
tal man.
VIII. It may be inferred from the doctrine, That persons
who have no grace may have a very great and affecting sense
of many divine things on their hearts.
The devil has not only great speculative knowledge, but
he has a sense of many divine things, which deeply affects him,
and is most strongly impressed on his heart. As,
1. The devils and damned souls have a great sense of the
vast importance of the things of another world. They are in
the invisible world, and they see and know how great the things
of that world are : their experience teaches them in the most
affecting manner. They have a great sense of the worth of
salvation, and the worth of immortal souls, and the vast impor-
tance of those things that concern men's eternal welfare. The
parable in the latter end of the 16th chapter of Luke teaches
this, in representing the rich man in hell, as entreating that La-
zarus might be sent to his five brothers, to testify unto them, lest
they should come to that place of torment. They who endure
SER. XX. True Grace distinguished, ^c^ 249
ihe torments of hell have doubtless a most lively and affecting
sense of the vastness of an endless eternity, and of the compara-
tive momentariness of this life, and the vanity of the concerns
and enjoyments of time. — They are convinced effectually, that
all the things of this world, even those that appear greatest and
most important to the inhabitants of the earth, are despicable
trifles, in comparison of the things of the eternal world. They
have a great sense of the preciousness of time, and of the means
of grace, and the inestimable value of the privileges which they
enjoy which live under the gospel. They are fully sensible of
the folly of those that go on in sin; neglect their opportunities;
make light of the counsels and warnings of God ; and bitterly
lament their exceeding folly in their own sins, by which they
have brought on themselves so great and remediless misery.
When sinners, by woful experience, know the dreadful issue of
their evil way, they will mourn at the last, saying, how have I
hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof, and have not
obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to thent
that instructed me! Prov. iv. 11, 12, 13.
Therefore, however true godliness is now attended with a great
sense of the importance of divine things — and it is rare that
men who have no grace maintain such a sense in any steady and
persevering manner — yet it is manifest those things are no cer-
tain evidences of grace. Unregenerate men may have a sense
of the importance of eternity, and the vanity of time ; the worth
of immortal souls; the preciousness of time and the means of
grace, and the folly of the way of allowed sin. They may have
such a sense of those things, as may deeply affect them, and
cause them to mourn for their own sins, and be much concerned
for others ; though it be true, they have not these things in the
same manner, and in all respects from the same principles and
views as godly men have them.
2. Devils and damned men have a strong and most affect-
ing sense of the awful greatness and majesty of God. This is
greatly made manifest in the execution of divine vengeance on
his enemies. Rom. ix. 23. " What if God, willing to show his
wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-
suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction V The de-
vils tremble before this great and terrible God, and under a
strong sense of his awful majesty. It is greatly manifested to
them and damned souls now ; but shall be manifested in a further
degree, in that day when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon them ; and when
they shall earnestly desire to fly, and be hid from the face of
him that sits on the throne, (which shall be, " because of the
glory of his majesty," Isa. ii. 10,) and when they shall be pu-
nished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power. When Christ comes at
Vol. VI. 32
■250 TWENTif SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
the last day, in the glory of his Father, every eye shall see him
in that glory, (in this respect, that they shall see his terrible ma-
jesty,) and they also that pierced him, Rev. i. 7. Both those
devils and wicked men, which tormented and insulted him when
he appeared in meanness and ignominy, shall then see him in
the glory of his Father.
It is evident, therefore, that a sense of God's terrible ma-
jesty is no certain evidence of saving grace : for we see that wicked
men and devils are capable of it; yea, many wicked men in this
world have actually had it. This is a manifestation which God
made of himself in the sight of that wicked congregation at
Mount Sinai, which they saw, and with which they were deeply
affected, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
3. Devils and damned men have some kind of conviction
and sense of all attributes of God, both natural and moral, that
is strong and very affecting.
The devils know God's almighty power: they saw a
great manifestation of it, when they saw God lay the foun-
dation of the earth, &c., and were much affected with it. —
They have seen innumerable other great demonstrations of
his power; as in the universal deluge, the destruction of
Sodom, the wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the
wilderness ; causing the sun to stand still in Joshua's time,
and many others. And they had a very affecting manifestation
of God's mighty power on themselves, in casting all their hosts
down from heaven into hell ; and have continual affecting
experience of it, in God's reserving them in strong chains of
darkness, and in the strong pains they feel. They will here-
after have far more affecting experience of it, when they
shall be punished from the glory of God's power, with that
mighty destruction, in expectation of which, they now tremble.
So the devils have a great knowledge of the zoisdom of God :
they have had unspeakably more opportunity and occasion to
observe it in the work of creation, and also in the works of
Providence, than any mortal man has ever had ; and have been
themselves the subjects of innumerable affecting manifestations
of it, in God's disappointing and confounding them in their
most subtle devices, in so wonderful and amazing a manner.
So they see and find the infinite purity and holiness of the di-
vine nature, in the most affecting manner, as this appears in his
infinite hatred of sin, in what they feel of the dreadful effects of
that hatred. They know already, by what they suffer, and will
know hereafter to a greater degree, and far more affecting
manner, that such is the opposition of God's nature to sin, that
it is like a consuming fire, which burns with infinite vehemence
against it. They, also, will see the holiness of God, as exer-
cised in his love to righteousness and holiness, in the glory of
Christ and his church ; which, also, will be very affecting to
^ER. XX. True Grace distinguished, <S'c. 251
devils and wicked men. And the exact justice of God will be
manifested to them in the clearest and strongest, most convin-
cing, and most affecting light, at the day of judgment ; when
they will also see great and affecting demonstrations of the
riches of his grace^ in the marvellous fruits of his love to the
vessels of mercy ; when they shall see them at the right hand
of Christ, shining as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,
and shall hear the blessed sentence pronounced upon them;
and will be deeply affected with it, as seems naturally implied
in Luke xiii. 28, 29. The devils know God's truth, and,
therefore, they believe his threatenings, and tremble in ex-
pectation of their accomplishment. And wicked men, that
now doubt his truth, and dare not trust his word, will, hereaf-
ter, in the most convincing, affecting manner, find his word to
be true in all that he has threatened, and will see that he
is faithful to his promises in the rewards of his saints. Devils
and damned men know that God is eternal and unchangeable;
and, therefore, they despair of there ever being an end to their
misery. Therefore, it is manifest, that merely persons having
an affecting sense of some, or even of all God's attributes, is
no certain sign that they have the true grace of God in their
hearts.
Object. Here, possibly, some may object against the
force of the foregoing reasoning, That ungodly men in this
world are in exceeding different circumstances from those in
which the devils are, and from those which wicked men will be
in at the day of judgment. Those things which are visible and
present to these, are now future and invisible to the other; and
wicked men in this world are in the body, that clogs and hin-
ders the soul, and are encompassed with objects that blind and
stupify them. Therefore, it does not follow, that because the
wicked in another world have a great apprehension and lively
sense of such things, without grace, ungodly men in their pre-
sent state may have the same.
Ans. To this I answer : It is not supposed, that ever
men in this life have all those things which have been men-
tioned, to the same degree that the devils and damned have
them. — None suppose, that ever any in this life have terrors of
conscience to an equal degree with them. It is not to be sup-
posed, that any mortal man, whether godly or ungodly, has an
equal degree of speculative knowledge with the devil. And,
as was just now observed, the wicked, at the day of judgment,
will have a vastly greater idea of the external glory of Christ,
than ever any have in the present state. So, doubtless, they
will have a far greater sense of God's awful greatness and terri-
ble majesty, than any could subsist under in this frail state. So
we may well conclude, that the devils and wicked- men in hell,
have a greater and more affecting sense of the vastncss of eter-
252 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECT;^.
nity, and, (in some respects,) a greater sense of the importance
of the things of another world, than any here have ; and they
have, also, longings after salvation to a higher degree than any
wicked men in this world.
But yet it is evident, that men in this world may have
things of the same kind with devils and damned men : the
same sort of light in the understanding ; the same views and
affections, the same sense of things, the same kind of impres-
sions on the mind, and on the heart. The objection is against
the conclusiveness of that reasoning which is the apostle's, more
properly than mine. The apostle judged it a conclusive argu-
ment against such as thought their believing there was one God,
an evidence of their being gracious, that the devils believed the
same. So the argument is exactly the same against such as
think they have grace, because they believe God is a holy God,
or because they have a sense of the awful majesty of God. —
The same may be observed of other things that have been men-
tioned. My text has reference, not only to the act of the un-
derstandings of devils in believing, but to that affection of their
hearts which accompanies the views they have ; as trembling
is an effect of the affection of the heart. Which shows, that if
men have both the same views of understanding, and, also, the
same affections of heart that the devils have, it is no sign of
grace.
And as to the particular degree to which these things may
be carried in men in this world without grace, it apppears not
safe to make use of it as an infallible rule to determine men's
state. I know not where w^e have any rule to go by, to fix the
precise degree in which God by his providence, or his common
influences on the mind, will excite in wicked men in this world,
the same views and affections which the wicked have in
another world ; which, it is manifest, the former are capable of
as well as the latter, having the same faculties and principles of
soul ; and which views and affections, it is evident, they often
are actually the subjects of in some degree, some in a greater,
and some in a less degree. The infallible evidences of grace
which are laid down in scripture are of another kind : they are
all of a holy and spiritual nature ; and therefore things of that
kind which a heart that is wholly carnal and corrupt cannot re-
ceive or experience, 1 Cor. ii. 14. I might also here add, that
observation and experience, in very many instances, seem to.
confirm what scripture and reason teaches in these things.
The second use may be of self-examinalion.
Let the things which have been observed put all on exami-
ning themselves, and inquiring, whether they have any better
evidences of saving grace, than such as have been mentioned.
SER. XX, True Grace cUslhiguished, 4*c. 25f)
We see how the infallible Spirit of God, in the text, plainly
represents the things of which the devils are the subjects, as no
sure sign of grace. And we have now, in some instances, ob-
served how far the devils and damned men go, and will go in
their experience, their knowledge of divine things, their belief
of truth, their awakenings and terrors of conscience, their con-
viction of guilt, and of the justice of God in their eternal dread-
ful damnation, their longings after salvation, their sight of the
external glory of Christ and heavenly things, their sense of the
vast importance of the things of religion, and another world ;
their sense of the awful greatness and terrible majesty of God,
yea, of all God's attributes. These things may well put us on
serious self-examination, whether we have any thing to evidence
our good estate, beyond what the devils have. Christ said to
his disciples, " Except your righteousness exceed the righteous-
ness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into
the kingdom of heaven :" so the Spirit of Christ, in his apostle
James, does in effect say, in my text. Except what you experi-
ence in your souls go beyond the experiences of devils, ye shall
in no case enter into the kingdom of God.
Here, it may be, some will be ready to say, I have some-
thing besides all these things ; what the devils have not, even
love and joy.
I answer. You may have something besides the experiences
of devils, and yet nothing beyond them. Though the experi-
ence be different, yet it may not be owing to any different prin-
ciplcj but only the different circumstances under which these
principles are exercised. The principles from whence the
fore-mentioned things in devils and damned men arise, are these
two, natural understanding and self-love. It is from these prin-
ciples of natural understanding and self-love, as exercised about
their own dispositions and actions, and God as their judge, that
they have natural conscience, and have such convictions of con-
science as have been spoken of. It is from these principles that
they have such a sense of the importance of the things of reli-
gion, and the eternal world, and such longings after salvation.
It is from the joint exercise of these two principles that they are
so sensible of the awful majesty of God, and of all the attributes of
the divine nalure, and so greatly affected with them. And it
is from these principles, joined with external sense, the wicked,
at the day of judgment, will have so great an apprehension of,
and will be so greatly affected by the external glory of Christ
and his saints. And that you have a kind of love, or gratitude
and joy, which devils and damned men have not, may possibly
not arise from any other principles in your heart different from
these two, but only from these principles as exercised in diffe-
rent circumstances. As for instance, your being a subject of
the restraining grace of God, and under circumstances of hope.
2^4 TWEMV .>LRMOi\a <JX VARIOUS SUBJECT.-^.
The natural understanding and self-love of devils possibly miglit
affect them in the same manner, if they were in the same cir-
cumstances. If your love to God has its first source from no-
thing else than a supposed immediate divine witness, or any
other supposed evidence, that Christ died for you in particular,
and that God loves you ; it springs from no higher principles
than self-love ; which is a principle that reigns in the hearts of
devils. Self-love is sufficient, without grace, to cause men to
love those that love them, or that they imagine love them, and
make much of them ; Luke vi. 32. " For if ye love them
which love you, what thank have you ? For sinners also love
those that love them." And would not the hearts of devils be
filled with great joy, if they, by any means, should take up a
confident persuasion that God pardoned them, and was become
their friend, and that they should be delivered from that wrath
of which they now are in trembling expectation. If the devils
go so far as you have heard, even in their circumstances, being
totally cast off, and given up to unrestrained wickedness, being
without hope, knowing that God is, and ever will be their ene-
my, they suffering his wrath without mercy : how far may we
reasonably suppose they might go, in imitation of grace and pi-
ous experience, if they had the same degree of knowledge, as
clear views, and as strong conviction, under circumstances of
hope, and offers of mercy ; and being the subjects of common
grace, restraining their corruptions, and assisting and exciting
the natural principles of reason, conscience, &lc. ? Such things,
or any thing like them, in the heart of a sinner in this world ; at
the same time that he, from some strong impression on his ima-
gination, has suddenly, after great terrors, imbibed a confidence,
that now this great God is his Friend and Father, has released
him from all the misery he feared, and has promised him eternal
happiness: I say, such things would, doubtless, vastly heighten
his ecstacy of joy, and raise the exercise of natural gratitude,
(that principle from whence sinners love those that love them,)
and would occasion a great imitation of many graces in strong
exercises. Is it any wonder then that multitudes under such a
sort of affection are deceived ? Especially when they have de-
vils to help forward the delusion, whose great subtilty has chief-
ly been exercised in deceiving mankind through all past gene-
rations.
Inq. Here possibly some may be ready to inquire. If there
be so many things which men may experience from no higher
principles than are in the minds and hearts of devils ; what are
those exercises and affections that are of a higher nature, which
I must find in my heart, and which I may justly look upon as
sure signs of the saving grace of God's Spirit ?
SER. XX. True Grace dislinguished, <^c. 2*0
Ans. I answer, those exercises and affections which arc
good evidences of grace, differ from all that the devils have, and
all that can arise from such principles as are in their hearts, in
two things, viz. their foundation and their tendency.
1. They differ in Wiexx foundation, or in that belonging to
them which is the foundation of all the rest that pertains to
them, viz. an apprehension or sense of the supreme holy beauty
and comeliness of divine things, as they are in themselves, or in
their own nature.
Of this the devils and damned in hell are, and for ever will
be, entirely destitute. This the devils once had, while they
stood in their integrity ; but they wholly lost it when they fell.
And this is the only thing that can be mentioned pertaining to
the devil's apprehension and sense of the divine Being, that he
did lose. Nothing else belonging to the knowledge of God can
be devised, of which he is destitute. It has been observed that
there is no one attribute of the divine nature, but what he knows,
with a strong and very affecting conviction. This I think is evi-
dent and undeniable. But to the supreme beauty of the divine
nature he is altogether blind. He sees no more of it, than a
man born perfectly blind does of colours. The great sight he
has of the attributes of God gives him an idea and strong sense
of his awful majesty, but no idea of his beauty and comeliness.
Though he has seen so much of God's wonderful works of power,
wisdom, holiness, justice, and truth, and his wonderful works of
grace to mankind, for so many thousand years, and has had occa-
sion to observe them with the strongest attention ; yet all serves
not to give him the least sense of his divine beauty. And though
the devils should continue to exercise their mighty powers of
mind with the strongest intention ; and should take things in all
possible views, in every order and arrangement ; yet they never
will see this. So little akin is the knowledge they have to this,
that the great degrees of that knowledge bring them no nearer
to it. Yet the more knowledge they have of God of that kind,
the more do they hate God. That wherein the beauty of the
divine nature does most essentially consist, viz. his holiness, or
moral excellency, appears in their eyes farthest from beauty.
It is on that very account chiefly that he appears hateful to them.
'J"'he more holiness they see in him, the more hateful he appears :
the greater their sight is of his holiness, the higher is their hatred
of him raised. And because of their hatred of his holiness, the}
hate him the more, the more they see of his other attributes.
They would hate a holy Being, whatever his other attributes
were ; but they hate such a holy Being the worse, fo"- his being
infinitely wise, and infinitely powerful, &:c. more than they would
do, if they saw in him less power and less wisdom.
The wicked, at the day of judgment, will see everything
else in Christ but his beauty and amiablencss. There is no one
256 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
quality or property of his person that can be thought of, but
what will be set before them in the strongest light at that day,
but only such as consist in this. They will see him coming in
the clouds of heaven, " in power, and great glory, in the glory
of his Father." They will have that view of his external glory,
which is vastly beyond what we can imagine ; and they will
have the strongest and most convincing demonstrations of all
his attributes and perfections. They will have a sense of his
great majesty, that will be, as it were, infinitely affecting to them.
They shall be made to know effectually, " that he is the Lord."
They shall see what he is, and what he does ; his nature and
works shall appear in the strongest view : but his infinite beauty
and amiableness, which is all in all, and without which every
other property is nothing, and worse than nothing, they will not
see.
Therefore in a sight or sense of this, fundamentally consists
the difference between the saving grace of God's Spirit? and the
experiences of devils and damned souls. This is the foundation
of every thing else that is distinguishing in true Christian expe-
rience. This is the foundation of the faith of God's elect.
This gives the mind a saving belief of the truth of divine
things. It is a view of the excellency of the gospel, or sense
of the divine beauty and amiableness of the scheme of doc-
trine there exhibited, that savingly convinces the mind that
it is indeed divine or of God. This account of the matter is
plainly implied ; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. " But if our gospel be hid, it
is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
into them." And, verse 6, " For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ." It is very evident that a saving belief of the
gospel is here spoken of by the apostle, as arising from a view
of the divine glory or beauty of the things it exhibits. It is
by this view that the soul of a true convert is enabled savingly
to see the sufficiency of Christ for his salvation. He that has
his eyes opened to behold the divine superlative beauty and love-
liness of Jesus Christ, is convinced of his sufficiency to stand as
a Mediator between him, a guilty hell-deserving wretch, and an
infinitely holy God, in an exceeding different manner tlian ever
lie can be convinced by the arguments of authors or preachers,
however excellent.
When he once comes to see Christ's divine loveliness, he
wonders no more that he is thought worthy by God the Father,
lo be accepted for the vilest sinner. Now it is not difficult for
him to conceive how the blood of Christ should be esteemed by
God so precious as to be worthy to be accepted as a compensa-
SEE. XX. True Grace, distinguished, ^c, ^ol
lion for the greatest sins. The soul now properly sees the prcir
ciousness of Christ, and so does properly sec and understand the
very ground and reason of his acceptableness to God, and the
value God sets on his blood, obedience, and intercession. This
satisfies the poor guilty soul, and gives it rest, when the finest
and most elaborate discourses about the sufficiency of Christ and
suitableness of the way of salvation, would not do it. When a
man comes to see the proper foundation of faith and affiance
with his own eyes, then he believes savingly. " He that seetli
the Son, and believeth on him, hath everlasting life ;" John vi.
40. When Christ thus manifests God's name to men, then they
believe that all things whatsoever God has given to Christ are
of him, and believe that Christ was sent of God ; John xvii. 6,
7, 8. And " they that thus know Chrisfs name will trust iu
him;" Psalm ix. 10. In order to true faith in Jeeus Christ, the-
Son of God is revealed in men, Gal. i. 15, 16. And it is this
sight of the divine beauty of Christ, that bows the wills, and
draws the hearts of men. A sight of the greatness of God in
his attributes may overwhelm men, and be more than they can
endure ; but the enmity and opposition of the heart may remain
in its full strength, and the will remain inflexible. Whereas
one glimpse of the moral and spiritual glory of God, and the su-
preme amiableness of Jesus Christ shining into the heart, over-
comes and abolishes this opposition, and inclines the soul to
Christ, as it were, by an omnipotent power. So that now, not
only the understanding, but the will and the whole soul receives
and embraces the Saviour. This is most certainly the discovery,
which is the first internal foundation of a saving faith in Christ
in the soul of the true convert, and not any immediate outward
or inward witness that Christ loves him, or that he died for him
in particular, and is his Saviour; so begetting confidence and
joy, and a seeming love to Christ, because he loves him. By
such faith and conversion, (demonstrably vain and counterfeit,)
multitudes have been deluded. The sight of the glory of God,
in the face of Jesus Christ, works true supreme love to God.
This is a sight of the proper foundation of supreme love to God,
viz. the supreme loveliness of his nature ; and a love to him on
this ground is truly above any thing that can come from a mere
principle of self-love, which is in the hearts of devils as well as
men. And this begets true spiritual and holy joy in the soul,
which is indeed joy in God, and glorying in him, and not rejoicing"
in ourselves.
This sight of the beauty of divine things, will excite true
desires and longings of soul after those things ; not like the
longings of devils, but natural, free desires; the desires of ap-
petite, the thirstings of a new nature, as a new-born babe de-
sires the mother's breast: and as a hungry man longs for some
VoT,. VT, '33
258 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
pleasant food he thinks of; or, as the thirsty hart pants after
the cool and clear stream.
This sense of divine beauty is the first thing in the actual
change made in the soul in true conversion, and is the founda-
tion of every thing else belonging to that change ; as is evident
by those words of the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 18. " But we all with
open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by
the Spirit of the Lord."
2. Truly gracious affections and exercises of mind differ
from such as are counterfeit, which arise from no higher prin-
ciples than are in the hearts of devils, in their tendency ; and
that in these two respects.
( 1 .) They are of a tendency and influence very contrary to
that which was especially the devil's sin, even pride. That
pride was in a peculiar manner the devil's sin, is manifest from
I Tim. iii. 6. " Not a novice, lest, being lifted up with pride,
he fall into the condemnation of the devil." False and delu-
sive experiences evermore tend to this, though oftentimes
under the disguise of great and extraordinary humility. Spirit-
ual pride is the prevailing temper and general character of
hypocrites, deluded with false discoveries and affections. —
They are, in general, of a disposition directly contrary to those
two things belonging to the Christian temper, directed to by
the apostle; the one in Rom. xii. 16. " Be not wise in your
own conceit ;" and the other in Phil. ii. 3. " Let each esteem
others better than themselves." False experience is conceited
of itself, and affected with itself. Thus he that has false humi-
lity, is much affected to think how he is abased before God. —
He that has false love, is affected, when he thinks of the great-
ness of his love. The very food and nourishment of false ex-
perience, is to view itself, and take much notice of itself; and,
its very breath and life is to be some way showing itself. —
Whereas, truly gracious views and affections, are of a quite
contrary tendency. They nourish no self-conceit ; no exalting
notion of the man's own righteousness, experience, or privi-
leges ; no high conceit of his humiliations. They inchne to no
ostentation, nor self-exaltation, under any disguise whatsoever.
But that sense of the supreme, holy beauty, and glory of God
and Christ, which is the foundation of them, mortifies pride,
and truly humbles the soul. It not only cuts ofT some of the
outermost branches, but it strikes at the very root of pride ;
it alters the very nature and disposition of the heart. The
light of God's beauty, and that alone, truly shows the soul its
own deformity, and effectually inclines it to exalt God and abase
ilself.
SER. XX. True Grace distinguished, iS^c. 259
(2.) These gracious exercises and affections differ from the
other in their tendency to destroy Satan's interest ; and that in
two respects :
First, in the person himself. They cause the soul to hate
every evil and false way, and to produce universal holiness of
heart and hfe, disposing him to make the service of God, the
promotion of his glory, and the good of mankind, the very busi-
ness of his life ; whereas those false discoveries and affections
have not this effect. There may, indeed, be great zeal, and a
great deal of what is called religion ; but it is not a truly Chris-
tian zeal ; it is not being zealous of good works. Their religion
is not the service of God ; it is not seeking and serving God ;
but, indeed, seeking and serving themselves. Though there
may be a change of life, it is not a change from every wicked
•way to a uniform Christian life and practice, but only turning
the stream of corruption from one channel to another. Thus
the apostle James distinguishes, in our context, a true faith
from the faith of devils; James ii. 19, 20. "Thou behevest
that there is one God. The devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is
dead?" And thus the apostle John distinguishes true commu-
nion with God ; 1 John i. 6, 7. " If we say that we have fel-
lowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth : But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth
us from all sin." By this he distinguishes true spiritual know-
ledge, chap. ii. 3, 4. " Hereby we do know that we know him,
if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him,
andkeepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not
in him." And hereby the same apostle distinguishes true love,
chap. iii. 18, 19, "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue,
bat in deed (in wo7'k, as the word signifies) and in truth. And
hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him."
2. Truly gracious experiences have a tendency to destroy
Satan's interest in the world.
When false religion, consisting in the counterfeits of the
operations of the Spirit of God, and in high pretences and great
appearances of inward experimental religion, prevails among a
people' — though for the present it may surprise many, and may
be the occasion of alarming and awakening some sinners — it
tends greatly to wound and weaken the cause of vital religion,
and to strengthen the interest of Satan, desperately to harden
the hearts of sinners, exceedingly to till the world with preju-
dice against the power of godliness, to promote infidelity and
licentious principles and practices, to build up and make strong
the devil's kingdom in the world, more than open vice and pro-
260 TWENTY SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
fanencss, or professed Atheism, or public persecution, and, per-
haps, more than any thing else whatsoever.
But it is not so with true religion, in its genuine beauty. —
That, if it prevails in great power, will, doubtless, excite the
rage of the devil, and many other enemies of religion. How-
ever, it gives great advantage to its friends, and exceedingly
strengthens their cause, and tends to convince or confound
enemies. True religion is a divine light in the souls of the
saints ; and, as it shines out in the conversation before men,
it tends to induce others to glorify God. There is nothing like
it (as to means) to awaken the consciences of men, to convince
infidels, and to stop the mouths of gainsayers. — Though men
naturally hate the power of godliness, yet when they see the
fruits of it, there is a witness in their consciences in its favour.
" He that serveth Christ in righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost, is acceptable to God, and approved of men,"
Rom. xiv. 17, 18. The prevailing of true religion, ever tends
to its honour in the world, though it commonly is the occasion
of great persecution. It is a sure thing, the more it appears,
and is exemplified in the view of the world, the more will its
honour, and the honour of its author, be advanced. Phil. i. 1 1.
" Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by
Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God."
The third use may be of exhortation, to seek those distin-
guishing qualifications and affections of soul, which neither the
devil, nor any unholy being, has, or can have.
How excellent is that inward virtue and religion which
consists in those ! Herein consists the most excellent expe-
riences of saints and angels in heaven. Herein consists the
best experience of the man Christ Jesus, whether in his hum-
bled or glorified state. Herein consists the image of God. —
Yea, this is spoken of in scripture as a communication of some-
thing of God's own beauty and excellency. A participation
of the divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4. A partaking of his holiness.
Heb. xii. 10. A partaking of Christ's fulness, John i. 16.
Hereby the saints are filled with all the fulness of God, Eph.
iii. 18, 19. Hereby they have fellowship with both the Father
and the Son, 1 John i. 3 ; that is, they communicate with them
in their happiness. Yea, by means of this divine virtue, there
is a mutual indwelling of God and the saints; 1 John iv. 16.
" God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God,
and God in him."
This qualification must render the person that has it, ex-
cellent and happy indeed, and doubtless is the highest dignity
and blessedness of any creature. This is the peculiar gift of
God, which he bestows only on his special favourites. As to
silver, gold, and diamonds, earthly crowns and kingdoms, he
often throws them out to those whom he esteems as dogs and^
&ER. XX. True Grace distinguished, i'c. -261
swine ; but this is the peculiar blessing of his dear children. — ■
This is what flesh and blood cannot impart. God alone can
bestow it. This was the special benefit which Christ died to
procure for his elect, the most excellent token of his everlast-
ing love ; the chief fruit of his great labours, and the most pre-
cious purchase of his blood.
By this, above all other things, do men glorify God. By
this, above all other things, do the saints shine as lights in the
world, and are blessings to mankind. And this, above all things,
tends to their own comfort; from hence arises that "peace
which passeth all understanding," and that "joy which is un-
speakable and full of glory." And this is that which will most
certainly issue in the eternal salvation of those who have it.
It is impossible that the soul possessing it, should sink and perish.
It is an immortal seed ; it is eternal life begun ; and, therefore,
they that have it, can never die. It is the dawning of the light
of glory. It is the day-star risen in the heart, that is a sure
forerunner of that sun's rising which will bring on an everlast-
ing day. This is that water which Christ gives ; which is in
him that drinks it, "a well of water springing up into everlast-
ing life ;" John iv. 14. It is something from heaven, of a hea-
venly nature, and tends to heaven. And those that have it,
however they may now wander in a wilderness, or be tossed to
and fro on a tempestuous ocean, shall certainly arrive in hea-
ven at last, where this heavenly spark shall be increased and
perfected, and the souls of the saints all be transformed into a
bright and pure flame, and they shall shine forth as the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. Amen.
PRACTICAL. SERMONS,
FIRST PUBLISHED IN EDINBURGH,
BY THE REV. DR. ERSJ^INE,
IN 1778.
I
CHRISTIAN KNOWL.EDOE, Asc. &c.
Hebrews v. 12e
For token for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye hate need that
one teach you again, which he the first principles of the oracles
of God ; and are become svxh as have need of milk, and not
of strong meat.
These words are a complaint which the apostle makes
against the Christian Hebrews, for their want of such proficiency
in the knowledge of the doctrines and mysteries of religion,
as might have been expected of them. The apostle complains,
that they had not made that progress in their acquaintance
with the things taught in the oracles of God which they ought
to have made. And he means to reprove them, not merely for
their deficiency in spiritual and experimental knowledge of di-
vine things, but for their deficiency in a doctrinal acquaintance
with the principles of religion, and the truths of Christian divi-
nity ; as is evident by the manner in which the apostle intro-
duces this reproof. The occasion of his introducing it is this : in
the next verse but one preceding, he mentions Christ as being
" called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedec."
In the Old Testament, the oracles of God, Melchizedec was
held forth as an eminent type of Christ ; and the account we
there have of him contains many gospel mysteries. These mys-
teries the apostle was willing to point out to the Christian He-
brews : but he apprehended, that through their weakness iu
knowledge, they would not understand him : and therefore
breaks off for the present from saying any thing about Melchi-
zedec, thus, (ver. 11.) " Of whom we have many things to say,
and hard to be uttered 5 seeing ye are all dull of hearina;;" i. e.
Vol. VL 34
5J6b PRACTICAL SERMONS.
there are many things concerning Melchizedec which contain
wonderful gospel mysteries, and which I would take notice of
to you, were it not that I am afraid, that through your dulness,
and backwardness in understanding these things, ^ou would
only be puzzled and confounded by my discourse, and so receive
no benefit : and that it would be too hard for you, as meat that
is too strong.
Then come in the words of the text : " For when for the
lime ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God ; and
are become such as^need of milk, and not of strong meat :'''
As much as to say, indeed it might have been expected of you,
that you should have known enough of the holy scriptures, to
be able to understand and digest such mysteries : but it is not
so with you. The apostle speaks of their proficiency in such
knowledge as is conveyed by human teaching : as appears by
that expression, " When for the time ye ought to be teachers ;■*
which includes not only a practical and experimental, but
also a doclrinal knowledge of the truths and mysteries of religion.
Again, the apostle speaks of such knowledge, whereby
Christians are enabled to understand things in divinity which
:ire more abstruse and difficult to be understood, and which re-
quire great skill in things of this nature. This is more fully ex-
pressed in the two next verses : "For every one that useth milk, is
tmskilful in the word of righteousness : for he is a babe- Bat
strong meat belongelh to them that are of full age, even those
who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern
])oth good and evil." It is such knowledge, that proficiency in
it shall carry persons beyond the first principles of religion.
As here, "Ye have need that one teach jou again which be (he
first principles of the oracles of God." Therefore the apostle,
in the beginning of the next chapter advises them, " to leave
the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, and to go on unto
perfection.''
We may observe that the fault of this defect appears, in that
they had not made ^proficiency according to their time. — For
the time, they ought to have been teachers. As they v/ere
Christians, their business was to learn and gain Christian know-
ledge. Ttie)' were scholars in the school of Christ ; and if they
liad improved their time in learning as they ought to have done,
they might by the time when the apostle wrote, have been fit to
be teachers in this school. To whatever business any one is
devoted, it may be expected that his perfection in it shall be
answerable to the time he has had to learn and perfect himself. —
Christians should not always remain babes, but should grow in
Christian knowledge ; and leaving the food of babes, thev shall
learn to digest strong meat.
SECT. r. What is intended hy Christian Divinity. 267
Doctrine. Every Christian should make a business of
endeavouring to grow in knowledge in divinity. — This is indeed
esteemed the business of divines and ministers •, it is commonly
thought to be their work, by the study of the scriptures, and
other instructive books, to gain knowledge, and most seem to
think that it may be left to them, as what belongeth not to others.
But if the apostle had entertained this notion, he would never
have blamed the Christian Hebrews for not having acquired
knowledge enough to be teachers. Or if he had thought, that
this concerned Christians in general only as a thing by the bye.
and that their time should not in a considerable measure be
taken up with this business ; he never would have so much
blamed them, that their proficiency in knowledge had not been
answerable to the time which they had had to learn.
In handling this subject, I shall show — what is intended
1)y divinity — what kind of knowledge in divinity is intended —
zohy knowledge in divinity is necessary.
And why all Christians should make a Ijusiness of ondcn-
vouring to grow in this knowledge.
SECT. I.
What is intended hy Divinity, as the Object of ChrisHan
Knovilcdge.
Various definitions have been given of this subject by
those who have treated on it. I shall not now stand to inquire
which, according to the rules of art, is the most accurate de-
finition ; but shall so define or describe it, as 1 think has the
greatest tendency to convey a proper notion of it. It is that
science or doctrine which comprehends all those truths and
rules which concern the great business of religion.
There are various kinds of arts and sciences taughtand learn-
ed in the schools, which are conversant about various objects:
about the works o{ nature in general, as philosophy; or the
visible heavens, as astronomy; of the sea, as navigation:
of the earth, as geography : of the body of man, as physic and
anatomy; of the soul of man, with regard to its natural pow-
ers and qualities, as logic and pneumatology ; or about human
government, as politics and jurisprudence. But one science
or kind of knowledge and doctrine, is above all the rest ; as it
treats concerning God and the great business of religion. Di-
vinily is not learned, as other sciences, merely by the improve-
ment of man's natural reason, but is taught by God himself
2j68 I'KACtlCAL SERMONS. SECT. II.
in a book full of instruction, which he hath given us for that
end. This is the rule which God hath given to the world
to be their guide in searching after this kind of knowledge,
and is a summary of all things of this nature needful for us
to know. Upon this account divinity is rather called a doc-
trine, than an art or science.
Indeed there is what is called natural religion. There
are many truths concerning God, and our duty to him,
which- are evident by the light of nature. But Christian
divinity^ properly so called, is not evident by the light of
nature ; it depends on revelation. Such are our circum-
stances now in our fallen state, that nothing which it is needful
for us to know concerning God, is manifest by the light
of nature, in the manner in which it is necessary for us to
know it. For the knowledge of no truth in divinity is of
significance to us, any otherwise than as it some way or other
belongs to the gospel scheme, or as it relates to a Mediator.
But the light of nature teaches us no truth in this matter,
therefore it cannot be said, that we come to the knowledge
of any part of Christian truth by the light of nature. It is only
the word of God, contained in the Old and New Testament,
which teaches us Christian divinity.
This comprehends all that is taught in the scriptures,
and so all that we need know, or is to be known, concerning
God and Jesus Christ, concerning our duty to God, and our
happiness in God. Divinity is commonly defined, the doctrine
of living to God : and by some who seem to be more accurate,
the doctrine of living to God by Christ. It comprehends all
Christian doctrines as they are in Jesus, and all Christian
rules directing us in living to God by Christ. There is no
one doctrine, no promise, no rulci but what some way or other
relates to the Christian and divine life, or our hving to God by
Christ. They all relate to this, in two respects, viz.^ as
they tend to promote our living to God here in this world, in a
life of faith and holiness, and also as they tend to bring us
to a life of perfect holiness and happiness, in the full enjoyment
of God hereafter.
SECT. II.
What Kind of Knowledge in Divinity is intended in the
Doctrine.
There are two kinds of knowledge of divine truth, viz..
speculative and practical, or in other terms, natural and spi-
ritmlK The former remains only in the head. No other
AjECT. iii. lis Usefulness and Kccessily. -iiGl)
faculty but the understanding is concerned in it. It consists of
having a natural or rational knowledge of the things of religion >
or such a knowledge as is to be obtained by the natural exer-
cise of our own faculties, without any special illumination of
the Spirit of God. The latter rests not entirely in the head,
or in the speculative ideas of things, but the heart is concerned
in it : it principally consists in the sense of the heart. The
mere intellect, without the will or the inclination, is not the
seat of it. And it may not only be called seeing, but feeling or
tasting. Thus there is a difference between having a right spe-
culative notion of the doctrines contained in the word of God,
and having a due sense of them in the heart. In the former
consists the speculative or natural knowledge; in the latter,
consists the spiritual or practical knowledge of them.
Neither of these is intended in the doctrine exclusively of
the other : but it is intended that we should seek the former in
order to the latter. The latter, or the spiritual and practical,
is of the greatest importance ; for a speculative, without a spi-
ritual knowledge, is to no purpose, but to make our condemna-
tion the greater. Yet a speculative knowledge is, also, of infi-
nite importance in this respect, that without it we can have no
spiritual or practical knowledge.
I have already shown, that the apostle speaks not only of
a spiritual knowledge, but of such as can be acquired, and com-
municated from one to another. Yet it is not to be thought,
that he means this exclusively of the other. But he would
have the Christian Hebrews seek the one, in order to the other.
Therefore, the former is first and most directly intended ; it is
intended, that Christians should, by reading, and other proper
means, seek a good rational knowledge of the things of divinity :
while the latter is more indirectly intended, since it is to bo
sought by the other. But I proceed to
SECT. III.
Th^e Usefulness and Necessity of the Knozvledge of Divine
Truths*
There is no other way by which any means of grace
whatsoever can be of any benefit, but by knowledge. All
teaching is in vain, without learning. Therefore, the preaching
of the gospel would be wholly to no purpose, if it conveyed
no knowledge to the mind. There is an order of men which
Christ has appointed, on purpose to be teachers in his church ;
but they teach in vain, if no knowledge in these things is
gainetl by their teaching. It is impossible that their teaching
270 rilACTICAL SERMONS. SECT. III.
and preaching should be a mean of grace, or of any good in the
hearts of their hearers, any otherwise than by knowledge im-
parted to the understanding. Otherwise it would be of as
much benefit to the auditory, if the minister should preach in
some unknown tongue. All the diflerence is, that preaching
in a known tongue, conveys something to the understanding,
which preaching, in an unknown tongue, docs not. On this
account, such preaching must be unprofitable. In such things,
men receive nothing, when they understand nothing ; and are not
at all edified, unless some knowledge be conveyed ; agreeable
to the apostle's arguing. 1 Cor. xiv. 2 — 6.
No speech can be a mean of grace, but by conveying
knowledge. Otherwise the speech is as much lost as if there
had been no man there, and if he that spoke, had spoken only
into the air ; as it follows in the passage just quoted, ver G — 10.
God deals with man as WMth a rational creature ; and when
faith is in exercise, it is not about something he knows not
what. 'J'herefore, hearing is absolutely necessary to faith :
because hearing is necessary to understanding. Rom. x. 14.
" How shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard V In like manner, there can be no love without know-
ledge. It is not according to the nature of the human soul, to
love an object which is entirely unknow^n. The heart cannot
be set upon an object of which there is no idea in the under-
standing. The reasons which induce the soul to love, must
first be understood, before they can have a reasonable influence
on the heart.
God hath given us the Bible, which is a book of instruc-
tions. But this book can be of no manner of profit to us, any
otherwise than as it conveys some knowledge to the mind : it
can profit us no more than if it were written in the Chinese or
Tartarian language, of which we know not one word. So the
sacraments of the gospel can have a proper effect no other way,
than by conveying some knowledge. They represent certain
things by visible signs. And what is the end of signs, but to
convey soma knowledge of the things signified ? Such is the
nature of man, that no object can come at the heart but through
the door of the understanding : and there can be no spiritual
knowledge of that of which there is not first a rational know-
ledge. It is impossible that any one should see the truth or
excellency of any doctrine of the gospel, who knows not what
that doctrine is. A man cannot see the wonderful excellency
and love of Christ, in doing such and such things for sinners,
unless his understanding be first informed how those things
were done. He cannot have a taste of the sweetness and ex-
cellency of divine truth, unless he first have a notion that there
is such a thing.
Without knowledsfe in divinitv. none would differ from
SECT. IV. i'Vhy Chrisllans should grozo ill Knowledge. 271
the most ignorant and barbarous Heathens. The Heathens re-
main in gross darkness, because they are not insti'ucted, and
liave not obtained the knowledge of divine truths.
If men have no knowledge of these things, the faculty of
reason in them will be wholly in vain. The faculty of reason
and understanding was given for actual understanding and know-
ledge. If a man have no actual knowledge, the faculty or ca-
pacity of knowing is of no use to him. And if he have actual
knowledge, yet if he be destitute of the knowledge of those
things which arc the last end of his being, and for the sake of
the knowledge of which he had more understanding given him
than the beasts; then still his faculty of reason is in vain; he
might as well have been a beast as a man. But divine subjects
are the things, to know which we had the faculty of reason
given us. They are the things which appertain to the end of
our being, and to the great business for which we are made.
Therefore a man cannot have his faculty of understanding to
any good purpose, further than he hath knowledge of divine
truth.
So that this kind of knowledge is absolutely necessary. —
Other kinds of knowledge may be very useful. Some other
sciences, such as astronomy, natural philosophy, and geography,
may be very excellent in their kind. But the knowledge of
this divine science is infinitely more useful and important than
that of all other sciences whatever.
SECT, n .
il/ty all Chrisliaiis should make a Business' of cjuUavouring to
groxo in the Knozvledge of Divinity.
Christians ought not to content themselves with such
degrees of knowledge of divinity as they have already obtained.
It should not satisfy them, as they know as much as is absolutely
necessary to salvation, but they should seek to make progress.
This endeavour to make progress in such knowledge ought
not to be attended to as a thing by the bye, but all Christians
should make a business of it. They should look upon it as a
part of tlieir daily business, and no small part of it neither. It
should be attended to as a considerable part of the work of their
high calling. — For,
1. Our business should doubtless much consist \n em-
ploying those faculties, by which we are distinguished from
the beasts, about those things which are the main end of those
faculties. The reason v,'hy we have faculties superior to those
of the brutes given us, is, that we are indeed designed for a
Superior employment. That which the Creator intended
272 PRACTICAL SERMOKS. SECT. IV.
sliould be our main employment, is something above what he
intended the beast for, and therefore hath given us superior
powers. Therefore, without doubt, it should be a con-
siderable part of our business to improve those superior facul-
ties. But the faculty by which we are chiefly distinguished
from the brutes, is the faculty of understanding. It follows
then, that we should make it our chief business to improve this
faculty, and should by no means prosecute it as a business by
the bye. For us to make the improvement of this faculty a
business by the .bye, is in effect for us to make the faculty of
understanding itself a by faculty, if I may so speak, a faculty
of less importance than others: whereas indeed it is the highest
faculty we have.
But we cannot make a business of the improvement of our
intellectual faculty, any otherwise than by making a business of
improving ourselves in actual knowledge. So that those who
make not this very much their business ; but instead of impro-
ving their understanding to acquire knowledge, are chiefly de-
voted to their inferior power — to please their senses, and gra-
tify their animal appetites — not only behave themselves in a
manner not becoming Christians, but also act as if they had
forgotten that they are men, and that God hath set them above
the brutes, by giving them understanding.
God hath given to man some things in common with the
brutes, as his outward senses, his bodily appetites, a capacity
of bodily pleasure and pain, and other animal faculties : and
some things he hath given him superior to the brutes, the chief
of which is a faculty of understanding and reason. Now God
never gave man these faculties to be subject to those which he
hath in common with the brutes. This would be great con-
fusion, and equivalent to making man to be a servant to the
beasts. On the contrary, he has given those inferior powers
to be employed in subserviency to man's understanding ; and
therefore it must be a great part of man's principal business to
improve his understanding by acquiring knowledge. If so,
then it will follow, that it should be a main part of his business
to improve his' understanding in acquiring divine knowledge, or
the knowledge of the things of divinity : for the knowledge of
these things is the principal end of this faculty. God gave
man the faculty of understanding, chiefly, that he might under-
stand divine things.
The wiser Heathens were sensible that the main business
of man was the improvement and exercise of his understanding.
But they knew not the object about which the understanding
should chiefly be employed. That science which many of
them thought should chiefly employ the understanding, was
philosopliy : and accordinclv thfv nniri.'' i^ their chief business
SECT. I. Why Christians should grow ill Knowledge c 2*3
to study it. But we who enjoy the light of the gospel are more
happy ; we are not left, as to this particular, in the dark. God
hath told us about what things we should chiefly employ our
understandings, having given us a book full of divine instructions,
holding forth many glorious objects about which all rational crea-
tures should chiefly employ their understandings. These in-
structions are accommodated to persons of all capacities and con-
ditions ; and proper to be studied, not only by men of learning,
but by persons of every character, learned and unlearned,
young and old, men and women. Therefore the acquisition of
knowledge in these things should be a main business of all those
who have the advantage of enjoying the Holy Scriptures.
2. The truths of divinity are of superlative excellency,,
and are worthy that all should make a business of endeavouring
to grow in the knowledge of them. They are as much above
those things which are treated of in other sciences, as heaven is
above the earth. God himself, the eternal Three in One, is
the chief object of this science ; and next Jesus Christ, as God-
man and Mediator, and the glorious work of redemption, the
most glorious work that ever was wrought : then the great things
of the heavenly world, the glorious and eternal inheritance pur-
chased by Christ, and promised in the gospel ; the work of the
Holy Spirit of God on the hearts of men ; our duty to God, and
the way in which we ourselves may become like angels, and like
God himself in our measure. All these are objects of this
science.
Such things as these have been the main subject of the
study of the holy patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and the most
excellent men that ever existed ; and they are also the subjects
of study to the angels in heaven; 1 Pet. i. 10 — 12. — They are
so excellent and worthy to be known, that the knowledge of
them will richly pay for all the pains and labour of an earnest
seeking of it. If there were a great treasure of gold and pearls
accidentally found, and opened with such circumstances that all
might have as much as they could gather ; would not every one
think it worth his while to make a business of gathering while
it should last ? But that treasure of divine knowledge, which is
contained in the Scriptures, and is provided for every one to
gather to himself as much of it as he can, is far more rich than
any one of gold and pearls. How busy are all sorts of men, all
over the world, in getting riches ? But this knowledge is a far
better kind of riches, than that after which they so diligently
and laboriously pursue.
3. Divine truths not only concern ministers, but are of* in-
finite importance to all Christians. It is not with the doctrines
of divinity as it is with the doctrines of philosophy and other
sciences. These last are generally speculative points, which
are of little concern in human life ; and it very little alters the
Vol. VI, 35
274 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
case as to our temporal or spiritual interests, whether we know
thenn or not. Philosophers diflfer about them, some being of
one opinion, and others of another. And while they are enga-
ged in warm disputes about them, others may well leave them
to dispute among themselves, without troubling their heads much
about them ; it being of little concern to them whether the one
or the other be in the right. — But it is not thus in matters of di-
vinity. The doctrines of this nearly concern every one. They
are about those things which relate to every man's eternal sal-
vation and happiness. The common people cannot say, Let us
leave these matters to ministers and divines ; let them dispute
them out among themselves as they can ; they concern not us ;
For they are of infinite importance to every man. Those doc-
trines which relate to the essence, attributes, and subsistences of
God, concern all ; as it is of infinite importance to common peo-
ple, as well as to ministers, to know what kind of being God is»
For he is the Being who hath made us all, " in whom we live^
and move, and have our being ; who is the Lord of all ; the Be-
ing to whom we are all accountable ; is the last end of our being,
and the only fountain of our happiness.
The doctrines also which relate to Jesus Christ, and his
mediation, his incarnation, his life and death, his resurrection
and ascension, his sitting at the right hand of the Father, his
satisfaction and intercession, infinitely concern common people
as well as divines. They stand in as much need of this Saviour,
and of an interest in his person and offices, and the things which
he hath done and suffered, as ministers and divines. — The same
may be said of the doctrines which relate to the manner of a
sinner's justification, or the way in which he becomes interested
in the mediation of Christ. They equally concern all; for all
stand in equal necessity of justification before God. That eter-
nal condemnation, to which we are all naturally exposed, is
equally dreadful. So with respect to those doctrines which re-
late to the work of the Spirit of God on the heart, in the appli-
cation of redemption in our effectual calling and sanctification,
all are equally concerned in them. There is no doctrine of di-
vinity whatever, which doth not some way or other concern the
eternal interest of every Christian.
4. We may argue in favour of the same position, from
the great things which God hath done in order to give us
instruction in these things. As to other sciences, he hath left us
to ourselves, to the light of our own reason. But divine things
being of infinitely greater importance to us, he hath not left us to
an uncertain guide ; but he hath himself given us a revelation of
the truth in these matters, and hath done very great things to
convey and confirm it to us ; raising up many prophets in diffe-
rent ages, immediately inspiring them with his Holy Spirit, and
confirming their doctrine with innumerable miracles or wonder-
JsECT. I. Why "Christians should gt'OK in Knowledge, '^l^
fill works out of the established course of nature. Yea, he
raised up a succession of prophets, which was upheld for seve-
ralages.
It was very much for this end that God separated the peo-
ple of Israel, in so wonderful a manner, from all other people,
and kept them separate ; that to them he might commit the ora-
cles of God, and that from them they might be communicated to
the world. He hath also often sent angels to bring divine in-
structions to men ; and hath often himself appeared in miracu-
lous symbols or representations of his presence ; and now in these
last days hath sent his own Son into the world, to be his great
prophet, to teach us divine truth, Heb. i. 1, &c. God hath
given us a book of divine instructions, which contains the sum
of divinity. Now, these things hath God done, not only for the
instruction of ministers and men of learning ; but for the instruc-
tion of all men, of all sorts, learned and unlearned men, wo-
men, and children. And certainly if God doth such great
things to teach us, we ought to do something to learn.
God giving instructions to men in these things, is not a busi-
ness by the bye ; but what he hath undertaken and prosecuted
in a course of great and wonderful dispensations, as an affair in
which his heart hath been greatly engaged : which is sometimes
in Scripture signified by the expression of God's rising early to
teach us, and to send us prophets and teachers. Jer. vii. 25.
'' Since that day that your fathers came forth out of the land of
Egypt, unto this day, I have even sent unto you all my servants
the prophets, daily rising up early, and sending them." And
ver. 13. "I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking."
This is a figurative speech, signifying that God hath done this as
a business of great importance, in which he took great care, and
had his heart much engaged ; because persons are wont to rise
early to prosecute such business as they are earnestly engaged
in. — If God hath been so engaged in teaching, certainly we should
not be negligent in learning ; but should make growing in know-
ledge a great part of the business of our lives.
5. It may be argued from the abundance of the instructions
which God hath given us, from the largeness of that book which
God hath given to teach us divinity, and from the great variety
that is therein contained. Much was taught by Moses of old,
which we have transmitted down to us ; after that, other books
were from time to time added ; much is taught us by David and
Solomon ; and many and excellent are the instructions commu-
nicated by the prophets ; yet God did not think all this enough,
but after this sent Christ and his apostles, by whom there is ad-
ded a great and excellent treasure to that holy book, which is to
be our rule in the study of this important subject.
This book was written for the use of all ; all are directed to
search the scriptures, John v. 39. '' Search the scriptures, for
276 PRACTICAL SERMONS,
in them ye think ye have eternal life ; and tliey are they that
testify of me ;" and Isa. xxxiv. 16. " Seek ye out of the book
of the Lord, and read." They that read and understand are
pronounced blessed, Rev. i. 3. " Blessed is he that readeth,
and they that understand the words of this prophecy." If this
be true of that particular book of the Revelation, much more is
it true of the Bible in general. Nor is it to be believed that
God would have given instructions in such abundance, if he had
intended that receiving instruction should be only a bye concern
with us.
It is to be considered, that all those abundant instructions
which are contained in the scriptures were written that they
might be understood ; otherwise they are not instructions. That
which is not given that the learner may understand it, is not
given for the learner's instruction ; and unless we endeavour to
grow in the knowledge of divinity, a very great part of those
instructions will to us be in vain ; for we can receive benefit by
no more of the scriptures than we understand. We have rea-
son to bless God that he hath given us such various and plenti-
ful instruction in his word ; but we shall be hypocritical in so
doing, if we, after all, content ourselves with but little of this in-
struction.
When God hath opened a very large treasure before us, for
the supply of our wants, and we thank him that he hath given
us so much ; if at the same time we be willing to remain desti-
tute of the greatest part of it, because we are too lazy to gather
it, this will not show the sincerity of our thankfulness. We are
now under much greater advantages to acquire knowledge in
divinity, than the people of God were of old ; because since that
time, the canon of scripture is much increased. But if we be
negligent of our advantages, we may be never the better for them,
and may remain with as little knowledge as they.
6. However diligently we apply ourselves, there is room
enough to increase our knowledge in divine truth. None have
this excuse to make for not dihgently applying themselves to
gain knowledge in divinity, that they already know all ; nor can
they make this excuse, that they have no need diligently to apply
themselves, in order to know all that is to be known. None
can excuse themselves for want of business in which to employ
themselves. There is room enough to employ ourselves for
ever in this Tiivine science, with the utmost application. Those
who have applied themselves most closely, have studied the
longest, and have made the greatest attainments in this know-
ledge, know but little of what is to be known. The subject is
inexhaustible. That Divine Being, who is the main subject of
this science, is infinite, and there is no end to the glory of his
perfections. His works at the same time are wonderful, and
cannot be found out to perfection ; especially the work of re-
SER. i« Why Christians should grow in Knowledge. 277
demption, about which the science of divinity is chiefly conver-
sant, is full of unsearchable wonders.
The word of God, which is given for our instruction in
divinity, contains enough in it to employ us to the end of our
hves, and then we shall leave enough uninvestigated to employ
the heads of the ablest divines to the end of the world. The
Psalmist found an end to the things that are human; but he
could never find an end to what is contained in the word of
God : Psal. cxix. 96. " 1 have seen an end to all perfection ;
but thy command is exceeding broad." There is enough in
this divine science to employ the understandings of saints and
angels to all eternity.
7. It doubtless concerns every one to endeavour to excel
in the knowledge of things which pertain to his profession, or
principal calling. If it concerns men to excel in any thing, or
in any wisdom or knowledge at all, it certainly concerns them
to excel in the affairs of their main profession and work. But
the calling and work of every Christian is to live to God,
This is said to be his high calling, Phil- iii. 14. This is the
business, and, if I may so speak, the trade of a Christian, his
main work, and, indeed, should be his only work. No business
should be done by a Christian, but as it is some way or other a
part of this. Therefore, certainly, the Christian should endea-
vour to be well acquainted with those things which belong to
this work, that he may fulfil it, and be thoroughly furnished to it.
It becomes one, who is called to be a soldier, to excel in
the art of war. It becomes a mariner to excel in the art of na-
vigation. It becomes a physician to excel in the knowledge of
those things which pertain to the art of physic. So it becomes
all such as profess to be Christians, and to devote themselves to
the practice of Christianity, to endeavour to excel in the know-
ledge of divinity.
8. It may be argued hence, that God hath appointed an
order of men for this end, to assist persons in gaining know-
ledge in these things. He hath appointed them to be teachers,
1 Cor. xii. 28; and God hath set some in the church; first,
apostles ; secondarily, prophets ; thirdly, teachers : Eph. iv.
11,12. " He gave some, apostles ; some, prophets ; some, evan-
gelists ; some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ." If God hath set them to be teachers, making that
their business, then be hath made it their business to impart
knowledge. But what kind of knowledge? not the knowledge
of philosophy, or of human laws, or of mechanical arts, but of
divinity.
If God have made it the business of some to be teachers,
it will follow, that he hath made it the business of others to be
learners ; for teachers and learners are correlates, one of which
278 PRACTICAL SERMOKS. SECT. V.
was never intended to be without the other. God hath never
made it the duty of some to take pains to teach those who arc
not obUged to take pains to learn. He hath not commanded
ministers to spend themselves, in order to impart knowledge to
those who are not obliged to apply themselves to receive it.
The name by which Christians are commonly called in the
New Testament, is disciples ; the signification of which word, is
scholars or learners. AH Christians are put into the school of
Christ, where their business is to learn, or receive knowledge
from Christ, their common master and teacher, and from those
inferior teachers appointed b}^ him to instruct in his name.
9. God hath in the scriptures plainly revealed it to be his
will, that all Christians should diligently endeavour to excel in
the knowledge of divine things. It is the revealed will of God,
that Christians should not only have some knowledge of things
of this nature, but that they should be enriched with all know-
ledge : 1 Cor. i. 4, 5. " I thank my God always on your be-
half, for the grace of God that is given you by Jesus Christ,
that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and
in all know I edge.''"' So the apostle earnestly prayed, that the
Christian Philippians might abound more and more, not only in
love, but in Christian knowledge ; Phil. i. 9. "And this I pray,
that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge,
and in all judgment.'''' So the apostle Peter advises to "give
all diligence to add to faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge,'''' 2
Pet. i. 5 ; and the apostle Paul, in the next chapter to that
wherein is the text, counsels the Christian Hebrews' leaving the
first principles of the doctrine of Christ, to go on to perfection.
He would by no means have them always to rest only in those
fundamental doctrines of repentance, and faith, and the resur-
rection from the dead, and the eternal judgment, in which they
were instructed when baptized, at their first initiation in Chris=
tianity. (See Heb. vi. he.)
SECT. V.
Jin Exhortation that all may diligently endeavour to gain Chris-
tian Knowledge,
Consider yourselves as scholars or disciples, put into the
school of Christ ; and, therefore, be diligent to make proficiency
in Christian knowledge. Content not yourselves with this, that
you have been taught your catechism in your childhood, and
that you know as much of the principles of religion as is neces-
sary to salvation ; else you will be guilty of what the apostle
warns against, viz. going no further than laying the foundation
of repentance from dead works, &c.
SECT. V. Exhorlation io gain Christian Knowledge, 279
You are all called to be Christians, and this is your pro-^
fession. Endeavour, therefore, to acquire knowledge in things
which pertain to your profession. Let not your teachers have
cause to complain, that while they spend and are spent, to im-
part knowledge to you, you take little pains to learn. It is a
great encouragement to an instructer, to have such to teach as
make a business of learning, bending their minds to it. This
makes teaching a pleasure, when, otherwise, it will be a very
heavy and burdensome task.
You all have by you a large treasure of divine knowledge,
in that you have the Bible in your hands ; therefore, be not
contented in possessing but little of this treasure. God hath
spoken much to you in the Scriptures ; labour to understand as
much of what he saith as you can. God hath made you all
reasonable creatures ; therefore, let not the noble faculty of
reason or understanding He neglected. Content not yourselves
with having so much knowledge as is thrown in your way, and
received in some sense unavoidably by the frequent inculcation
of divine truth in the preaching of the word, of which you are
obliged to be hearers, or accidentally gain in conversation ; but
let it be very much your business to search for it, and that with
the same diligence and labour with which men are wont to dig
in mines of silver and gold.
Especially I would advise those who are young to employ
themselves in this way. Men are never too old to learn ; but
the time of youth is especially the time for learning ; it is pe-
culiarly proper for gaining and storing up knowledge. Further,
to stir up all, both old and young, to this duty, let me entreat
you to consider,
1. If you apply yourselves diligently to this work, you will
not want employment, when you are at leisure from your
common secular business. In this way, you may find some-
thing in which you may profitably employ yourselves. You
will find something else to do, besides going about from house
to house, spending one hour after another in unprofitable con-
versation, or, at best, to no other purpose but to amuse your-
selves, to fill up and wear away your time. And it is to be
feared, that very much of the time spent in evening visits, is
spent to a much worse purpose than that which I have novjr
mentioned. Solomon tells us, Prov. x. 19, " That in the mul-
titude of words, there wanteth not sin." And is not this veri-
fied in those who find little else to do but to go to one another's
houses, and spend the time in such talk as comes next, or such
as any one's present disposition happens to suggest?
Some diversion is, doubtless, lawful ; but for Christians to
spend so much of their time, so many long evenings, in no other
conversation than that which tends to divert and amuse, if no^
i
280 PRACTICAL SERMONS. SECT. V.
thing worse, is a sinful way of spending time, and tends to po-
verty of soul at least, if not to outward poverty : Prov. xiv. 23.
"In all labour, there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth
only to penury,'^'' Besides, when persons for so much of their
time have nothing else to do, but to sit, and talk, and chat, there
is great danger of falling into foolish and sinful conversation,
venting their corrupt dispositions, in talking against others, ex-
pressing their jealousies, and evil surmises concerning their
neighbours; not considering what Christ hath said. Matt, xii,
36. "• Of every idle word that men shall speak, shall they give
account in the day of judgment."
If you would comply with whfit you have heard from this
doctrine, you would find something else to employ your time
besides contention, or talking about those pubUc affairs which
tend to contention. Young people might find something else
to do, besides spending their time in vain company; something
that would be much more profitable to themselves, as it would
really turn to some good account ; something, in doing which,
they would both be more out of the way of temptation, and be
more in the way of duty, and of a divine blessing. And even
aged people would have something to employ themselves in,
after they are become incapable of bodily labour. Their time,
as IS now often the case, would not lie heavy upon their hands,
as they would with both profit ad pleasure be engaged in search-
ing the scriptures, and in comparing and meditating upon the
various truths which they should find there.
2. This would be a nohle way of spending your time.--=
The Holy Spirit gives the Bereans this epithet, because they
diligently employed themselves in this business : Acts xvii,
11. " These were move noble than those of Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.*'
Similar to this, is very much the employment of heaven. The
inhabitants of that world spend much of their time in searching
into the great things of divinity, and endeavouring to acquire
knowledge in them, as we are told of the angels, 1 Pet. i. 12.
*' Which things the angels des're to look into." This will be
very agreeable to what you hope will be your business to all
eternity, as you doubtless hope to join in the ■jame employment
with the angels of light. Solomon says, Prov. xxv. 2, " it is
the honour of kings to search out a matter;" and certainly,
above all others, to search out divine matters. Now, if this be
the honour even of kings, is it not equally, if not much more
your honour?
3. This is a pleasant way of improving time. Knowledge
is pleasant and delightful to intelligent creatures, and above all
the knowledge of divine things ; for in them are the most
SECT. V. Exhortation to gain Christian Knowledge. 281
excellent truths, and the most beautiful and amiable objects held
forth to view. However tedious the labour necessarily attend-
ing this business may be, yet the knowledge once obtained will
richly requite the pains taken to obtain it. " When wisdom en-
tereth the heart, knowledge is pleasant to the soul ;" Prov.
ii. 10.
4. This knowled;^e is exceeding useful in Christian prac-
tice. Such as have much knowledge in divinity have great
means and advantages for spiritual and saving knowledge ; for
no means of grace have a saving effect, otherwise than by the
knowledge they impart. The more you have of a rational
knowledge of divine things, the more opportunity will there be,
when the Spirit shall be breathed into your heart, to see the ex-
cellency of these things, and to taste the sweetness of them*
The Heathens, who have no rational knowledge of the things
of the gospel, have no opportunity to see the excellency of them v
and therefore the more rational knowledge of these things you
have, the more opportunity and advantage you have to see the
divine excellency and glory of them.
Again, The more knowledge you have of divine things, the
better will you know your duty ; your knowledge will be of
great use to direct you as to your duty in particular cases.
You will also be the better furnished against the temptations of
the devil. For the devil also takes advantage of persons' igno-
rance to ply them with temptations, which otherwise would have
no hold of them. By having much knowledge, you will be un-
der greater advantages to conduct yourselves with prudence and
discretion in your Christian course, and so to live much more to
the honour of God and religion. Many who mean well, and
are full of a good spirit, yet for want of prudence, conduct
themselves so as to wound religion. Many have a zeal of God,
which does more hurt than good, because it is not according to
knowledge, Rom. x. 2. The reason why many good men be-
have no better in many instances, is not so much that they want
grace, as that they want knowledge. Beside, an increase of
knowledge would be a great help to profitable conversation. It
would supply you with matter for conversation when you come
together, or when you visit your neighbours ; and so you would
have less temptation to spend the time in such conversation as
tends to your own and others' hurt,
5. Consider the advantages you are under to grow in the
knowledge of divinity. We are under far greater advantages
to gain much of this knowledge now, than God's people under
the Old Testament, both because the canon of scripture is so
much enlarged since that time, and also, because evangelical
truths are now so much more plainly revealed. So that com-
mon men are now in some respects under advantages to know
more, than the greatest prophets were then. Thus that saying
Vol. VI. 36
282 rUACTlCJAL SERMONS.
of Christ is in a sense applicable to us, Luke x. 23, 24. " Bless-
ed are the eyes which see the things which ye see. For I tell
you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those
things which ye hear, and have not heard them.'' We are in
some respects under far greater advantages for gaining know-
ledge, now in these latter ages of the church, than Christians
were formerly ; especially by reason of the art of printing ; of
which God hath given us the benefit, whereby Bibles and other
books of divinity are exceedingly multiplied, and persons may
now be furnished with helps for the obtaining of Christian know-
ledge, at a much easier and cheaper rate than they formerly
could.
C. We know not what opposition we may meet with in the
religious principles which we hold. We know that there are
many adversaries to the gospel and its truths. If therefore we
embrace those truths, we must expect to be attacked by the said
adversaries ; and unless we be well informed concerning divine
things, how shall we able to defend ourselves? Beside, the
apostle Peter enjoins it upon us, always to be ready to give an
answer to every man who asketh us a reason of the hope that is
in us. But this we cannot expect to do without considerable
knowledge in divine things.
SECT. VI.
Directions for the Acquisition of Christian Knowledge.
1. Be assiduous in reading the holy scriptures. This is
the fountain whence all knowledge in divinity must be derived.
Therefore let not this treasure lie by you neglected. Every
man of common understanding who can read, may, if he please,
become well acquainted with the scriptures. And what an ex-
cellent attainment would this be !
2. Content not yourselves with only a cursory reading,
without regarding the sense. This is an ill way of reading, to
which, however, many accustom themselves all their days.
When you read, observe what you read. Observe how things
come in. Take notice of the drift of the discourse, and com-
pare one scripture with another. For the scripture, by the har-
mony of its different parts, casts great light upon itself. — We
are expressly directed by Christ, to search the scriptures, which
evidently intends something more than a mere cursory reading.
And use means to find out the meaning of the scripture. When
you have it explained in thefpreaching of the word, take notice
of it; and if at any time a scripture that you did not understand
be cleared up to your satisfaction, mark it, lay it up, and if pos-
sible remember it.
SECT. VI. Acquisition of Christian Knowledge. 283
3. Procure, and diligently use other books which may help
you to grow in this knowledge. There are many excellent
books extant, which might greatly forward you in this knowledge,
and afford you a very profitable and pleasant entertainment in
your leisure hours. There is doubtless a great defect in many,
that through a lothness to be at a little expense, they furnish
themselves with no more helps of this nature. They have a
few books indeed, which now and then on Sabbath days they
read ■, but they have had them so long, and read them so often,
that they are weary of them, and it is now become a dull
story, a mere task to read them.
4. Improve conversation with others to this end. How
much might persons promote each other's knowledge in divine
things, if they would improve conversation as they might ; if men
that are ignorant were no ashamed to show their ignorance, and
were willing to learn of others ; if those that have knowledge
would communicate it, without pride and ostentation ; and if all
were more disposed to enter on such conversation as would be
for their mutual edification and instruction.
5. Seek not to grow in knowledge chiefly for the sake of
applause, and to enable you to dispute with others ; but seek it
for the benefit of your souls, and in order to practice. — If ap-
plause be your end, you will not be so likely to be led to the
knowledge of the truth, but may justly, as often is the case of
those who are proud of their knowledge, be led into error to
your own perdition. This being your end, if you should obtain
much rational knowledge, it would not be likely to be of any
benefit to you, but would puff you up with pride : 1 Cor. viii. 1.
"Knowledge puffeth up.''
6. Seek to God, that he would direct you, and bless you.
in this pursuit after knowledge. This is the apostle's direction,
James i. 5. " If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God,
who giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not." God is the
fountain of all divine knowledge : Prov. ii. 6. " The Lord
giveth wisdom : out of his mouth cometh knowledge and under-
standing." Labour to be sensible of your own blindness and
ignorance, and your need of the help of God, lest you be led
into error, instead of true knowledge : 1 Cor. iii. 18. " If any
man would be wise, let him become a fool, that he maybe wise.'^
7. Practise according to what knowledge you have. This
will be the way to know more. The Psalmist warmly recom-
mends this way of seeking knowledge in divine truth, from his
own experience : Psal. cxix. 100. " I understand more than
the ancients, because I keep thy precepts." Christ also re-
commends the same: John vii. 17. "If any man will do his
will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or
whether I speak of myself.
I
SERMON II.*
<50D THE BEST PORTION OF THE CHRISTIAN,
Psalm lxxiii. 25.
^Jiom have I -in lieaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth
that I desire besides thee.
In this psalm, the psalmist (Asaph,) relates the great difficulty
iJchich existed in his own mind, from the consideration of the
wicked. He observes, (ver. 2, 3.) "As for me, my feet were
almost gone ; my steps had well nigh slipt. For I was envious at
the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." In the 4th
and following verses, he informs us, what in the wicked was his
temptation. In the first place, he observed, that they were pi-os-
perous, and all things went well with them. He then observed their
behaviour in their prosperity, and the use which the} made of
it ; and that God, notwithstanding such abuse, continued their
prosperity. Then he tells us by what means he was helped
out of this difficulty, viz. by going into the sayictvary, verses 16,
17; and proceeds to inform us what considerations they were
which helped him, viz. (1.) The consideration of the misera-
ble end of wicked men. However they prosper for the present,
yet they come to a woful end at last, verses 18 — 20. (2.)
The consideration of the blessed end of the saints. A 'though the
saints, while they live, may be afflicted, j et they come to a hap-
py end at last, verses 21 — 24. (3.) The consideration, that the
godly have a much better portion than the wicked, even though
they have no other portion but God ; as in the text and following
verse. Though the wicked are in prosperity, and are not in trou-
ble as other men ; yet the godly, though in affliction, are in a
*= Dated April, 1736.
r,ER. u. God the Portion of the Christian* 285
state infinitely better, because they have God for their portion.
They need desire nothing else ; he that hath God, hath all.
Thus the psalmist professes the sense and apprehension which
he had of things : Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is -
none upon earth that I desire besides thee.
In the verse immediately preceding, the psalmist takes no-
tice how the saints are happy in God, both when they are in this
world, and also when they are taken to another. They are
blessed in God in this world, in that he guides them by his coun-
sel; aad when he takes them out of it, they are still happy, in
that then he receives them to glory. This probably led him in
the text to declare that he desired no other portion, either in
this world or in that to come, either in heaven or upon earth. —
Whence we learn, That it is the spirit of a truly godly man, to
prefer God before all other things, either in heaven or on earth.
I. A godly man prefers God before any thing else m hea-
ven.
1. He prefers God before any thing else that actually is in
heaven. Every godly man hath his heart in heaven ; his afTec-
tions are mainly set on what is to be had there. Heaven is his
chosen country and inheritance. He hath respect to heaven, as
a traveller, who is in a distant land, hath to his own country.
The traveller can content himself to be in a strange land for a
while, but his own native land is preferred by him to all others :
Heb. xi. 13, &LC. '' These all died in faith, not having received
the promise?, but w(-re persuaded of them, and embraced them,
and confessed that they were >traiigers and pilgrims on the
earth. For they that say snch things, declare plainly that they
seek a country. And truly if they had been mindful of that
country from whence they came out, they might have had oppor-
tunity to have returned : But now they desire a better country,
that is, an heavenly."" — The respect which a godly person hath to
heaven may be compared to the respect which a child, when he
is abroad, hath to his father's house. He can he contented
abroad for a little while: but the place to which he desires to
return, and in which to dwell, is his owt; home. Heaven is
the true saint's Father's house: John xiv. 2. '' In my Father's
house are many mansions.-" John xx. 17. "• 1 ascend to my Fa-
ther and your Father."
Now the main reason why the godly man hath his heart
thus to heaven, is because God is there; that is the [)alace of
the Most High. It is the place where God i? gloriously present,
where his love is gloriously manifested, where the godly may be
with him, see him as he is, and love, serve, praise, and enjoy
him perfectly. If God and Christ were not in heaven, he would
not be so earnest in seeking it, nor would he take so much pains
in a laborious travel through this wilderness, nor would the
286 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
Consideration that he is going to hf^aven when he dies, be such
a comfort to him under toils and afflictions. The martyrs would
not undergo cruel sufferings from their persecutors, with a
cheerful prospect of going to heaven, did they not expect to be
with Christ, and to enjoy God there. They would not with
that cheerfulness forsake all their earthly possessions, and all
their earthly friends, as man} thousands of them have done, and
wander about in poverty and banishment, being destitute, afflict-
ed, tormented, in hopes of exchanging their earthly for a hea-
venly inhf-ritaiice, were it not that they hope to be with their
glorious Redeemer and heavenly Father, The believer's heart
is in heaven, because his treasure is there.
2. A godly man prefers God before any thing else that
might be in heaven. Not only is there nothing actually in
heaven, which is in his esteem equal with God ; but neither is
there any thing of which he can conceive as possible to be there,
which by him is esteemed ;md desired equally with God. Some
suppose quite different enjoyments to be in heaven, from those
which the scriptures teach us. The Mahometans, for instance,
suppose, that in heaven are to be enjoyed all manner of sen-
sual delights and pleasures. Many things which Mahomet has
feigned, are, to the lusts and carnal appetites of men the most
agreeable that he could devise, and with them he flattered his
followers. But the true saint could not contrive one more
agreeable to his inclination and desires, than such as is revealed
in the word of God ; a heaven of enjoying the glorious God,
and the Lord Jesus Christ. There he shall have all sin taken
away, and shall be perfectly conformed to God, and shall spend
an eternity in exalted exercises of love to him, and in the en-
joyment of his love. If God were not to be enjoyed in hea-
ven, but only vast wealth, immense treasures of silver and
gold, great honour of such kind as men obtain in this world,
and a fulness of the greatest sensual delights and pleasures ; all
these things would not make up for the want of God and Christ,
and the enjoyment of them there. If it were empty of God, it
would indeed be an empty melancholy place. — The godly
have been made sensible, as to all creature-enjoyments, that
they cannot satisfy the soul ; and, therefore, nothing will con-
tent them but God. Offer a saint what you will, if you deny
him God, he will esteem himself miserable. God is the centre
of his desires ; and, as long as you keep his soul from its proper
centre, it will not be at rest.
II. It is the temper of a godly man to prefer God before
all other things on the earth.
1. The saint prefers that enjoyment of God, for which he
hopes hereafter, to any thing in this world. He looketh not so
much at the things which are seen, and temporal, as at those
SER. n. Qod the Portion of the Christian* 287
which are unseen and eternal, 1 Cor. iv. 18. It is but a little
of God that the saint enjoys in this world ; he hath but a little
acquaintance with God, and enjoys but a little of the mani-
festations of the divine glory and love. But God hath pro-
mised to give him himself hereafter in a full enjoyment. And
these promises are more precious to the saint, than the most
precious earthly jewels. The gospel contains greater trea-
sures, in his esteem, than the cabinets of princes, or the mines
of the Indies.
2. The saints prefer what of God may be obtained in this
life before all things in the world. There is a great difference
in the present spiritual attainments of the saints. Some attain
to much greater acquaintance and communion with God, and
conformity to him, than others. But the highest attainments
are very small in comparison with what is future. The saints
are capable of making progress in spiritual attainments, and
they earnestly desire such further attainments. Not contented
with those degrees to which they have already attained, they
hunger and thirst after righteousness, and, as new-born babes,
desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow there-
by. It is their desire to know more of God, to have more of
his image, and to be enabled more to imitate God and Christ
in their walk and conversation. Psalm xxvii. 4. " One <hing
have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to be-
hold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple."
Psalm xlii. 1, 2. " As the hart panteth after the water-brooks,
so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for
God, for the living God : when shall I come and appear before
God?" Psalm Ixiii. 1, 2. "O God, thou art my God; early
will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth
for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is ; to see
thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctua-
ry." See, also, Psalm Ixxxiv. 1, 2, 3, and Psalm cxxx. " My
soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the
morning ; 1 say, more than they that watch for the morning."
Though every saint has not this longing desire after God
to the same degree that the Psalmist had, yet they are all of
the same spirit; they earnestly desire to have more of h's pre-
sence in their hearts. That this is the (emper of the godly, in
general, and not of some pa'tioular saints only, appears from:
Isaiah xxvi. 8, 9 ; where, not any particular saint, but *hc
church, in general, speaks thus : " Yea, in the way of +hy
judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee ; the desire of
our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
With my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my
spirit within me v/ill I seek thee early." See, also, Cant. iii.
1 , 2. V. 6, 8.
288 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
The saints are not always in the lively exercise of grace ;
but such a spirit they have, and sometimes they have the sensi'
ble exercise of it. They desire God and divine attainments,
more than all earthly things ; and seek to be rich in grace, more
than the\ do to get earthly riches. They desire the honour
vv^hich is of God. moi;e than that which is of men, (John v. 44,)
and communion with him, more than any earthly pleasures.
They are of the same spirit which the apostle expresses, Phil,
iii. 8. " Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord ; and do
count them but dung, that 1 may win Christ."
3. The saint prefers what he hath already of God before
any thing in this world. That which was infused into his heart
at his conversion, is more precious to him than any thing which
the world can atford. The views which are sometimes given
him of the beauty and excellency of God, are more precious to
him than all the treasures of the wicked. The relation of a
child in which he stands to God, the union which there is be-
tween his soul and Jesus Christ, he values more than the greatest
earthly dignity. That image of God which is instamped on his
soul, he values more than any earthly ornaments. It is, in his
esteem, better to be adorned with the graces of God's Holy
Spirit, than to be made to shine in jewels of gold, and the most
costly pearls, or to be admired for the greatest external beauty.
He values the robe of Christ's righteousness, which he hath on
his soul, more than the robes of princes. The spiritual plea-
sures and delights which he sometimes has in God, he prefers
far before all the pleasures of sin. Psalm Ixxxiv. 10. "A day
in thy courts is better tha : a thousand : 1 had rather be a door-
keeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the tents of wick-
edness."
A saint thus prefers God before all other things in this world,
— 1. As he prefers God before any thing else that he possesses
in the \A'^orld. Whatever temporal enjoyments he has, he pre-
fers God to them all. Psalm xvi. 5, 6. " The Lord is the por-
tion of mine inheritance, and of my cup : thou maintainest my
lot. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places ; yea, I have
a goodly heritage." If he be rich, he chiefly sets his heart on
his heavenly riches. He prefers God before any earthly friend,
and the divine favour before any respect shown him by his fel-
low-creatures. Although inadvertently these have room in his
heart, and too much room ; yet he reserves the throne of God ;
Luke xiv. 26. " If any man come to me, and hate not his father
and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters,
yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
2. He prefers God before any earthly enjoyment of which
he hath a prospect. The children of men commonly set their
hearts more on some earthly happiness for which they hope, and
SER. li. God the Portiun of ike Christian. 289
after which they are seeking, than on what they have in present
possession. But a godly man prefers God to any thing which
he has in prospect in this world. He may, indeed, through the
prevalence of corruption, be for a season carried away with some
enjoyment ; however, he will again come to himself; this is not
the temper of the man ; he is of another spirit.
3. It is the spirit of a godly man to prefer God to any earthly
enjoyments of which he can conceive. He not only prefers him
to any thing which he now possesses ; but he sees nothing pos-
sessed by any of his fellow-creatures, so estimable. Could he
have as much worldly prosperity as he would ; could he have
earthly things just to his mind, and agreeable to his inclination ;
he values the portion which he has in God, incomparably more.
He prefers Christ to earthly kingdoms.
APPLICATION.
1. Hence we may learn, that whatever changes a godly
man passes through, he is happy ; because God, who is unchange-
able, is his chosen portion. Though he meet with temporal
losses, and be deprived of many, yea, of all his temporal enjoy-
ments ; yet God whom he prefers before all, still remains, and
cannot be lost. While he stays in this changeable, troublesome
world, he is happy ; because his chosen portion, on which he
builds as his main foundation for happiness, is above the world,
and above all changes. And when he goes into another world,
still he is happy, because that portion yet remains. Whatever
he be deprived of, he cannot be deprived of his chief portion ;
his inheritance remains sure to him. — Could worldly-minded
men find out a way to secure to themselves those earthly enjoy-
ments on which they mainly set their hearts, so that they could
not be lost nor impaired while they live, how great would they
account the privilege, though other things which they esteem in
a less degree, were liable to the same uncertainty as they now
are ! Whereas now, those earthly enjoyments, on which men
chiefly set their hearts, are often most fading. But how great is
the happiness of those who have chosen the Fountain of all good,
who prefer him before all things in heaven or on earth ; and who
can never be deprived of him to all eternity !
2. Let all by these things examine and try themselves,
whether they be saints or not. As this which hath been exhi-
bited is the spirit of the saints, so it is peculiar to them : none
can use the language of the text, and say, Whom have I in heaven
hut thee ? there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee, but
the saints. A man's choice is that which determines his state.
He that chooses God for his portion, and prefers him -to all other
things, is a godly man, for he chooses and worships him as God.
To respect him as God, is to respect him above all other things ;
Vol. VI. 37
290 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
and if any man respect him as his God, his God he is ; there is
an union and covenant relation between that man and the true
God. — Every man is as his God is. If you would know what -
a man is, whether he be a godly man or not, you must inquire
what his God is? If the true God be he to whom he hath a
supreme respect, whom he regards above all ; he is doubtless a
servant of the true God. But if the man have something else,
to which he pays a greater respect than to Jehovah, he is not a
^odly man.
Inquire, therefore, how it is with you ; — whether you pre-
fer God before all other things. It may sometimes be a diffi-
culty for persons to determine this to their satisfaction ; the
ungodly may be deluded with false affections : the godly in dull
frames may be at a loss about it. Therefore you may try your-
selves, as to this matter, several ways ; if you cannot speak
fully to one thing, yet you may perhaps to others.
1 . What is it which chiefly makes you desire to go to heaven
when you die ? Indeed some have no great desire to go to
heaven. They do not care to go to hell ; but if they could be
safe from that, they would not much concern themselves about
heaven. If it be not so with you, but you find that you have a
desire after heaven, then inquire what it is for. Is the main
reason, that you may be with God, have communion with him,
and be conformed to him ; that you may see God and enjoy him
there ? Is this the consideration which keeps your hearts and
your desires, and your expectations towards heaven ?
2. If you could avoid death, and might have your free
choice, would you choose to live always in this world without
God, rather than in his time to leave the world, in order to be
with him ? If you might live here in earthly prosperity to all
eternity, but destitute of the presence of God and communion
with him — having no spiritual intercourse between him and your
souls, God and you being strangers to each other for ever —
would you choose this rather than to leave the world, in order
to dwell in heaven, as the children of God, there to enjoy the
glorious privileges of children, in a holy and perfect love to
God, and enjoyment of him to all eternity ?
3. Do you prefer Christ to all others as the way to heaven ?
He who truly chooses God, prefers him in each person of the
Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost : the Father, as his
Father ; the Son, as his Saviour ; the Holy Ghost, as his Sanc-
tifier. Inquire, therefore, not only whether you choose the en-
joyment of God in heaven as your highest portion and happi-
ness, but also, whether you choose Jesus Christ before all others,
as your way to heaven ; and that in a sense of the excellency of
Christ, and of the way of salvation by him, as being that which
is to the glory of Christ, and of sovereign grace. Is the way of
free grace, by the blood and righteousness of the blessed and
SER. H. God Ihc Poriion of the Christian. 29i
glorious Redeemer, the most excellent way to lite in your es-
teem ? Doth it add a value to the heavenly inheritance, that it
is conferred in this way ? Is this far better to you than to be
saved by your own righteousness, by any of your own perform-
ances, or by any other mediator ?
4. If you might go to heaven in what course you please,
would you prefer to all others the way of a strict walk with God ?
They who prefer God as hath been represented, choose him, not
only in the end, but in the way. They had rather be with God
than with any other, not only when they come to the end of their
journey ; but also while they arc in their pilgrimage. They
choose the way of walking with God, though it be a way of la-
bour, and care, and self-denial, rather than a way of sin, though
it be a way of sloth, and of gratifying their lusts.
5. Were you to spend your eternity in this world, would
you choose rather to live in mean and low circumstances with
the gracious presence of God, than to live for ever in earthly
prosperity without him. Would you rather spend it in holy
living, and serving and walking with God, and in the enjoyment
of the privileges of his children ? God often manifesting him-
self to you as your Father, discovering to you his glory, and
manifesting his love, lifting the light of his countenance upon
you ! Would you rather choose these things, though in poverty,
than to abound in worldly things, and to live in ease and pros-
perity, at the same time being an alien from the commonwealth
of Israel ? Could you be content to stand in no child-like rela-
tion to God, enjoying no gracious intercourse with him, having
no right to be acknowledged by him as his children ? Or would
such a life as this, though in ever so great earthly prosperity, be
esteemed by you a miserable life ?
If, after all, there remain with you doubts, and a difficulty
to determine concerning yourselves, whether you do truly and
sincerely prefer God to all other things, I would mention two
things which are the surest ways to be determined in this mat-
ter, and which seem to be the best grounds of satisfaction in it.
1 . The feeling of some particular, strong, and lively exer-
cise of such a spirit. A person may have such a spirit as is
spoken of in the doctrine, and may have the exercise of it in a
low degree, and yet remain in doubt whether he have it or not,
and be unable to come to a satisfying determination. But God
is pleased, sometimes, to give such discoveries of his glory, and
of the excellency of Christ, as do so draw forth the heart, that
they know, beyond all doubt, that they feel such a spirit as
Paul spake of, when he said, " He counted all things but loss
for the excellency of Christ Jesus his Lord ;'" and they can
boldly say, as in the text, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ?
and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." At
such times, the people of God do not need any help of minis-
292 VRACTICAL SERMONS.
ters to satisfy them whether they have the true love of God ;
they plainly see and feel it ; and the Spirit of God then jvit-
nesseth with their spirits, that they are the children of God. —
Therefore, if you would he satisfied upon this point, earnestly
seek such attainments 5 seek, that you may have such clear and
lively exercises of this spirit. To this end, you must labour
to grow in grace. Though you have had such experiences in
times past, and they satisfied you then, yet you may again doubt.
You should, therefore, seek, that you may have them more fre-
quently ; and the way to that is, earnestly to press forward, that
you may have more acquaintance with God, and have the prin-
ciples of grace strengthened. This is the way to have the ex-
ercises of grace stronger, more lively, and more frequent, and
so to be satisfied that you have a spirit of supreme love to God.
2. The other way is, to inquire, whether you prefer God
to all other things in practice ; i. e. when you have occasion to
manifest by your practice which you prefer — when you must
either cleave to one or the other, and must either forsake other
things, or forsake God — whether then it be your manner practi-
cally to prefer God to all other things whatever, even to those
earthly things to which your hearts are most wedded. Are
your lives- those of adherence to God, and of serving him in this
manner
He who sincerely prefers God to all other things in his
heart, will do it in his practice. For, when God, and all other
things, come to stand in competition, that is the proper trial
what a man chooses ; and the manner of acting in such cases
must certainly determine what the choice is in all free agents,
or those who act on choice. Therefore, there is no sign of
sincerity so much insisted on in the Bible as this, that we deny
ourselves, sell all, forsake the world, take up the cross, and fol-
low Christ whithersoever he goeth. Therefore, so run, not as
imcertainly ; so fight, not as those that beat the air ; but keep
under your bodies, and bring them into subjection. Act not as
though you counted yourselves to have apprehended ; but this
one thing do, " forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before, press toward
the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus." 2 Pet. i. 5, &c. " And, besides this, giving diligence,
add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to
knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to
patience, godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and
to brotherly kindness, charity. For, if these things be in you,
and abound, they make you, that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
SERMON III.^
THE SOLE CONSIDERATION, THAT GOD IS GOD, SUF-
FICIENT TO STILL ALL OBJECTIONS
TO HIS SOVEREIGNTY.
Psalm xlvi. 10.
Be still, and know that I am God,
This psalm seems to be a song of the church in a time of
great revolutions and desolations in the world. Therefore the
church glories in God as her refuge, and strength, and present
help, even in times of the greatest troubles and overturnings,
ver. 1 — 3. " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help
in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be re-
moved, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of
the sea ; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though
the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." The church
makes her boast of God, not only as being her help, by defend-
ing her from the desolations and calamities in which the rest of
the world were involved, but also by supplying her, as a never-
failing river, with refreshment, comfort and joy, in the times of
public calamities. See ver. 4, 5, " There is a river, the streams
whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the
tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she
shall not be moved; God shall help her, and that right early."
In the 6th and 8th verses are set forth the terrible changes
and calamities which were in the world : " The Heathen raged,
the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melt-
ed. Come, behold the works of God, what desolation he hath
made in the earth." In the verse preceding the text, is elegant-
* Dated June, 1735,
294 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
ly set forth the manner in which God delivers the church from
these calamities, and especially from the desolations of war, and
the rage of their enemies : '' He maketh wars to cease unto the
end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in
sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire;" i.e. he maketh
wars to cease when they are against his people ; he breaketh
the bow when bent against his saints.
Then follow the words of the text : " Be still, and know
that I am God." The great works of God, wherein his sove-
reignty appeared, had been described in the foregoing verses.
In the awful desolations that he made, and by delivering his
people by terrible things, he showed his greatness and dominion.
Herein he manifested his power and sovereignty, and so com-
mands all to be still, and know that he is God. For says he, " I
will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the
earth."
In the words may be observed,
1. A duty described to be still before God, and under the
dispensations of his providence; which implies that we must be
still as to a>or<?5 ; not speaking against the sovereign dispensa-
tions of Providence, or complaining of them ; not darkening
counsel by words without knowledge, or justifying ourselves,
and speaking great swelling words of vanity. We must be still
as to actions and outward behaviour, so as not to oppose God
in his dispensations ; and as to the inward frame of our hearts,
cultivating a calm and quiet submission of soul to the sovereign
pleasure of God, whatever it be.
2. We may observe the ground of this duty, viz. the divi-
nity of God. His being God is a sufficient reason why we should
be still before him, in no wise murmuring, or objecting, or op-
posing, but calmly and humbly submitting to him.
3. How we must fulfil this duty, of being still before God,
viz. with a sense of his divinity, as seeing the ground of this
duty, in that we know him to be God. Our submission is to be
such as becomes rational creatures. God doth not require us
to submit contrary to reason, but to submit as seeing the rea-
son and ground of submission. — Hence the bare consideration
that God is God, may well be sufficient to still all objections
and opposition against the divine sovereign dispensations.
This may appear by the following things :
1. In that he is God, he is an absolutely and infinitely
perfect being ; and it is impossible that he should do amiss. As
he is eternal, and receives not his existence from any other, he
cannot be limited in his being, or any attribute, to any certain
determinate quantity. If any thing have bounds fixed to it, there
SER. in. Divine Sovereignly, 295
must be some cause or reason why those bounds are fixed just
where they are. Whence it will follow, that every limited thing
must have some cause ; and therefore that being which has no
cause must be unlimited.
It is most evident by the works of God, that his under-
standing and power are infinite ; for he that hath made all things
out of nothing, and upholds, andgovern^, and manages all things
every moment, in all a^es, without growing weary, must be af
infinite power. He must also be of infinite knowledge ; for if
he made all things, and upholds and governs all things continu-
ally, it will follow, that he knows and perfectly sees all things,
great and small, in heaven and earth, continually at one view ;
which cannot be without infinite understanding.
Being thus infinite in understanding and power, he must
also be perfectly holy ; for unholiness always argues some defect,
some blindness. Where there is no darkness or delusion, there
can be no unholiness. It is impossible that wickedness should
consist with infinite light. God being infinite in power and
knowledge, he must be self-sufficient and all-sufficient ; there-
fore it is impossible that he should be under any temptation to
do any thing amiss ; for he can have no end in doing it- When
any are tempted to do amiss, it is for selfish ends. But how
can an all-sufficient Being, who wants nothing, be tempted to do
evil for selfish ends ? So that God is essentially holy, and no-
thing is more impossible than that God should do amiss.
2. As he is God, he is so great, that he is infinitely above
all comprehension ; and therefore it is unreasonable in us to
quarrel with his dispensations, because they are mysterious. If
he were a being that we could comprehend, he would not be
God. It would be unreasonable to suppose any other, than that
there should be many things in the nature of God, and in his
works and government, to us mysterious, and which we
never can fully find out.
What are we? and what do we make of ourselves, when
we expect that God and his ways should be upon a level with
our understandings ? We are infinitely unequal to any such
thing, as comprehending God. We may less unreasonably ex-
pect that a nut-shell should contain the ocean : Job xi. 7, &c,
" Canst thou by searching find out God ? canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection ? It is as high as heaven, what canst
thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know ? The mea-
sure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea."
If we were sensible of the distance which there is between God
and us, we should see the reasonableness of that interrogation
of the apostle, Rom. ix. 20. " Who art thou, O man, that re-
pliest against God."
If we find fault with God's government, we virtually sup-
pose ourselves fit to be God's counsellors ; whereas it becomes
296 PRACTICAL SERMONS,
US rather, with great humility and adoration, to cry out with the
apostle. Rom. ix. 33, &c. " O the depth of the riches, both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are
his judgment^, and his ways past finding out! For who hath
known the mind of the Lord ? or who hath been his counsellor ?
or who hath fir-;t given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again ? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all
things: to whom be glory for ever." If little children should
rise up and tiod fault with the supreme legislature of a nation,
or quarrel with the mysterious administrations of the sovereign,
would it not be looked upon that they meddled with things too
high for them ? And what are we but babes ? Our under-
standings are infinitely less than those of babes, in comparison
with the wisdom of God. It becomes us therefore to be sensible
of it, and to behave ourselves accordingly. Psalm cxxxi. 1, 2.
" Lord, my heart is not haughty? nor mine eyes lofty : neither
do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for
me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child."
This consideration alone of the infinite distance between God
and us, and between God's understanding and ours, should be
enough to still and quiet us concerning all that God does, how-
ever mysterious and unintelligible to us. — Nor have we any right
to expect, that God should particularly explain to us the reason
of his dispensations. It is fit that God should not give any ac-
count of his matters to us, worms of the dust, that we may be
sensible of our distance from him, and adore and submit to him
in humble reverence.
Therefore we find, that when Job was so full of difficulty
about the divine dispensations, God did not answer him by par-
ticularly explaining the reasons of his mysterious providence ;
but by showing him what a poor worm, what a nothing he was,
and how much he himself was above him. This more became
God than it would have done to enter into a particular debate
with him, or to unfold the mysterious difficulties : it became
Job to submit to God in those things that he could not under-
stand, and to this the reply tended to bring him. It is fit that
God should dwell in thick darkness, or in light to which no man
can approach, which no man hath seen or can see. No wonder
that a God of infinite glory shines with a brightness too strong
for mortal eyes. For the angels themselves, those mighty spirits,
are represented as covering their faces in this light; Isa. vi.
3. As he is God, all things are his own, and he hath a right
to dispose of them according to his own pleasure. All things
in this lower world are his; Job xli. 11. "Whatsoever is
under the whole heaven is mine. Yea, the whole universe is
God's; Dent. x. 14. " Behold, the heaven and the heaven of
heavens is the Lord's ; the earth also, with all that is therein."
All things are his, because all things are from him ; they are
yER, III. Divine Sovereignty. -97
wholly from him, and from him alone. Those things which are
made by men are not wholly from them. When a man builds a
house, it is not wholly from him ; nothing of which the house is
made has its being from him. But all creatures arc wholly and
entirely the fruits of God's power, and therefore it is fit that they
should be subject to, and for his pleasure, Prov. xvi. 4. And
as all things Sive from God, so they are upheld in being by him,
and would sink into nothing in a moment, if he did not uphold
them. And all things are to him. Rom. xi. 36. " For by him,
and through him, and to him, are all things." Col. i. IG, 17.
•'For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones
or dominions, principalities or powers, all things were created by
him and /or him ; and he is before all things, and by him all
things consist." All mankind are his ; their lives, and breath,
and being ; " for in him we hve, and move, and have our being."
Our souls and capacities are from him. Ezek. xviii. 4. "All
souls are mine : as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the
son is mine."
4. In that he is God, he is worthy to be sovereign over all
things. Sometimes men are the owners of more than they arc
worthy of. But God is not only the owner of the whole world,
as all is from and dependent on him ; but such is his perfection,
the excellency and dignity of his nature, that he is worthy of
sovereignty over all. No man ought in the temper of his mind
to be opposite to God's exercising the sovereignty of the uni-
verse, as if he were not worthy of it ; for to be the absolute
sovereign of the universe is not a glory or dignity too great for
him. All things in heaven and earth, angels and men, are
nothing in comparison with him ; all are as the drop of the
bucket, and as the light dust of the balance. Jt is therefore fit
that every thing should be in his hands, to be disposed of ac-
cording to his pleasure. — His will and pleasure are of infinitely
greater importance than the will of creatures. It is fit that his
will should take place, though contrary to the will of all other
beings ; that he should make himself his own end ; and order all
things for himself. — God is possessed of such perfections and
excellencies as to qualify him to be the absolute sovereign of
the world. — Certainly it is more fit that all things be under the
guidance of a perfect unerring wisdom, than that they should be
left to themselves to fall in confusion, or be brought to pass by
blind causes. Yea, it is not fit that any affairs within the go-
vernment of God should be left without the direction of his wise
providence; least of all, things of the greatest importance.
It is absurd to suppose that God is obliged to keep every
creature from sinning and exposing himself to an adequate pun-
ishment. For if so, then it will follow that there can be no
such thing as a moral government of God over reasonable crea-
VoL. VT, 38
298 PRACTICAL SERMONS*
tures ; and it would be an absurdity for God to give commands ;
for he himself would be the party bound to see to the perform-
ance, and there could be no use of promises or threatenings.
But if God may leave a creature to sin, and to expose himself
to punishment, then it is much filter and better that the matter
should be ordered by wisdom, who should justly lie exposed by
sin to punishment, and who not ; than that it be left to come to
pass by confused chance. It is unworthy of the gov ernor of the
world to leave things to chance ; it belongs to him to govern all
things by wisdom. — And as God has zoisdom to qualify him to be
sovereign, so he has ^jozoer also to enable him to execute the de-
terminations of wisdom. And he is essentially and invariably
holy and righteous^ and infinitely good : whereby he is qualified
to govern the world in the best manner. — Therefore, when he
acts as sovereign of the world, it is fit that we should be still, .
and willingly submit, and in nowise oppose his having the glory
of his sovereignty ; but should in a sense of his worthiness,
cheerfully ascribe it to him, and say, " Thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory, for ever ;" and say with those in
Rev. v. 13. " Blessing and honour, and glory, and power, be to
him that sitteth upon the throne."
5. In that he is God, he zoill be sovereign, and will act as
such. He sits on the throne of his sovereignty, and his king-
dom ruleth over all. He will be exalted in his sovereign power
and dominion, as he himself declares ; " I will be exalted among
the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." He will have all
men to know, that he is most high over all the earth. He doth
according to his will in the armies of heaven and amongst the
inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand. There is
no such thing as frustrating, or baffling, or undermining his de-
signs ; for he is great in counsel, and wonderful in working.
His counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. There
is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord ;
whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever ; nothing shall be
put to it, nor any thing taken from it. He will work, and who
shall let it ? He is able to dash in pieces the enemy. If men
join hand in hand against him, to hinder or oppose his designs,
he breaks the bow, he cuts the spear in sunder, he burneth the
chariot in the fire. — He kills, and he makes alive, he brings down
and raises up just as he pleases. Isa. xlv. 6, 7. " That they
may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that
there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is none
else ; I form the light, and create darkness ; I make peace, and
create evil ; I the Lord do all these things."
Great men, and rich men, and wise men cannot hinder
God from doing his pleasure. He leadeth counsellors away
spoiled ; he accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth
the rich more than the poor. There are many devices in a
SER. in. Divine Sovereignty, 299
man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand, and
the thoughts of his heart to all generations. — When he gives
quietness, who can make trouble? When he hides his face,
who can behold him ? He breaketh down, and it cannot be
built up again : he shutteth up a man, and there can be no
opening ; when he purposeth, who shall disannul it ? And when
his hand is stretched out, who shall turn it back ? — So there is
no hindering God from being sovereign, and acting as such.—
" He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he
will he hardeneth." He hath the keys of hell and of death ;
he openeth, and no man shutteth : he shutteth, and no man
openeth. This may show us the folly of opposing ourselves
against the sovereign dispensations of God ; and how much
more wisely they act who quietly and sweetly submit to his so-
vereign will.
6. In that he is God, he is able to avenge himself on those
who oppose his sovereignty. He is wise of heart, and mighty
in strength ; who hath hardened himself against God and pros-
pered ! He that will contend with God, must answer it. And
what a poor creature is man to fight against God ! Is he able to
make his part good with him? AVhoever of God's enemies deal
proudly, he will show that he is above them. They will be
but as the chaff before the whirlwind, and shall be as the fat
of lambs ; they shall consume into smoke, they shall consume
away. " Who would set the briers and thorns against him iu
battle ? He would go through them, he would burn them toge-
ther." Isa. xxvii. 4.
APPLICATION.
A manifold improvement might be made of this doctrine,
which a little reflection may suggest to each of us. But the
improvement which I shall at this time make of it, shall be only
in an tise of reproof to such under convictions of sin, and fears
of hell, as are not still, but oppose the sovereignty of God in
the disposals of his grace. This doctrine shows the unreason-
ableness, and dreadful wickedness, of your refusing heartily to
own the sovereignty of God in this matter. It shows that you
know not that God is God. If j'ou knew this, you would be
inwardly still and quiet ; you would humbly and calmly lie in
the dust before a sovereign God, and would see suflicient reason
for it.
In objecting and quarrelling about the righteousness of
God's laws and threatenings, and his sovereign dispensations
towards you and others, you oppose his divinity, you show your
ignorance of his divine greatness and excellency, and that you
cannot bear that he should have divine honour. It is from low
mean thoughts of God, that you do in your minds oppose his so-
300 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
vereignly, that you are not sensible how dangerous your con-
duct is, and what an audacious thing it is for such a creature as
man to strive with his Maker.
What poor creatures are you, that you should set up your-
selves for judges over the Most High; that you should take it
upon you to call God to an account; that you should say to the
great Jehovah, what dost thou ? and that you should pass sen-
tence against him ! If you knew that he is God, you would
not act in this manner ; but this knowledge would be sufficient
to still and calm you concerning all God's dispensations, and
you would say with Eli, in 1 Sam. iii. 18 — '' It is the Lord, let
him do what seemeth good in his sight.'' — But here I shall be
more particular in several things.
1. It is from mean thoughts of God, that you are not con-
vinced that you have, by your sins, deserved his eternal wrath
and curse. If you had any proper sense of the infinite majes-
ty, greatness, and holiness of God, you would see, that to be
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, and there to have no
rest, day nor night, is not a punishment more than equal to the
demerit of sin. — You would not have so good a thought of
yourselves ; you would not be so clean and pure in your own
eyes ; you would see what vile, unworthy, hell-deserving crea-
tures you are. If you had not little thoughts of God, and were
to consider how you have set yourselves against him — how
you have slighted him, his commandments, and thrcatenings,
and despised his goodness and mercy ; how often you have
disobeyed ; how obstinate you have been ; how your whole
lives have been filled up with sin against God — you would not
wonder that God threatens to destroy you for ever, but would
wonder that he hath not actually done it before now.
If you had not mean thoughts of God, you would not find
fault with him for not setting his love on you who never exer-
cised any love to him. You would not think it unjust in God
not to seek your interest and eternal welfare, who never would
be persuaded at all to seek his glory ; you would not think it un-
just in him to slight and disregard you, who have so often and so
long made light of God. If you had not mean thoughts of God,
you never would think him obliged to bestow eternal salvation
upon you, who have never been truly thankful for one mercy
which you have already received of him. — What do you think
of yourselves ? what great ideas have you of yourselves ? and
what thoughts have you of God, that you think he is obliged to
do so much for you, though you treat him ever so ungratefully
for the kindness which he hath already bestowed upon you all
the days of your lives ? It must be from little thoughts of God,
that you think it unjust in him not to regard you when you call
upon him ; when he hath earnestly called to you, so long and
-o often, and von would not be persuaded to hearken to him.
SER. III. Divine Sovereignty. 301
What thoughts have you of God, that you think he is more
obliged to hear what you say to him, than jou are to regard
what he says to you ?
It is from diminutive thoughts of God, that you think he
is obUged to show mercy to you when you seek it, though
you have been for a long time wilfully sinning against him,
provoking him to anger, and presuming that he would show
you mercy when you should seek it. What kind of thoughts
have you of God, that you think he is obliged, as it were, to
yield himself up to be abused by men, so that when they
have done, his mercy and pardoning grace shall not be in his
own power, but he must be obliged to dispense them at their
call!
2. It is from little thoughts of God, that you quarrel
against his justice in the condemnation of sinners, from the
doctrine of original sin. It must be because you do not
know him to be God, and will not allow him to be sovereign.
It is for want of a sense how much God is above you, that
those things in him which are above your comprehension,
are such difficulties and stumbling-blocks to you ; it is for
want of a sense how much the wisdom and understanding of
God are above yours, and what poor short-sighted, blind crea-
tures you are in comparison with him. If )^ou were sensible
what God is, you would see it most reasonable to expect that
his w^ays should be far above the reason of man, and that he
dwells in light which no man can approach unto, which no
man hath seen, nor can see. — If men were sensiblvi how ex-
cellent and perfect a Being he is, they would not be so apt
to be jealous of him, and to suspect him in things which lie
beyond their understandings. It would be no difficulty with
them to trust God out of sight. What horrid arrogance in
worms of the dust, that they should think they have wisdom
enough to examine and determine concerning what God doth,
and to pass sentence on it as unjust ? If you were sensible
how great and glorious a being God is, it would not be such
a difficulty with you to allow him the dignity of such absolute
sovereignty, as that he should order as he pleases, whether
every single man should stand for himself, or whether a com-
mon Father should stand for all.
3. It is from mean thoughts of God, that you trust in your
own righteousness, and think that God ought to respect you
for it. If you knew how great a Being he is, if you saw that
he is God indeed, you would see how unworthy, how miser-
able a present it is to be offered to such a Being. It is be-
cause you are blind, and know not what a being he is with
whom you have to do, that you make so much of your own righte-
ousness. If you had your eyes open to see that he is God in-
deed, you would wonder how vou could think to commend
302 PRACIICAL SERiMOjfS.
yourselves to so great a Being by your gifts, by. such poor
affections, such broken pra)^ers, wherein is so much hypocrisy,
and so much selfishness. — If you had not very mean thoughts
of God, you would wonder that ever you could think of pur-
chasing the favour and love of so great a God by your services.
You would see that it would be unworthy of God to bestow
such a mercy upon you, as peace with him, and his everlasting
love, and the enjoyment of himself, for such a price as you
have to offer : and that he would exceedingly dishonour himself
in so doing. — If you saw what God is, you would exclaim, as
Job did, Job Hi. 5, 6. " Now mine eye seeth thee ; wherefore
1 abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." And as Isaiah
did, chap. vi. 5. " Wo is me, for I am undone, because I am a
man of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the
Lord of hosts."
4. It is from mean thoughts of God, that you contend with
him, because he bestows grace on some, and not on others.
Thus God doth : he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy :
he takes one, and leaves another, of those who are in like cir-
cumstances ; as it is said of Jacob and Esau, while they were
not yet born, and had done neither good nor evil, Rom. ix.
10 — 13. With this sinners often quarrel; but they who upon
this ground quarrel with God, suppose him to be bound to bestow
his grace on sinners. For if he be bound to none, then he may
take his choice, and bestow it on whom he pleases ; and his
bestowing it on some, brings no obligation on him to bestow
it on others. Has God no right to his own grace ? is it not at
his own disposal ? and is God incapable of making a gift or
present of it to any man ? for a person cannot make a present
of that which is not his own, or in his own right. It is im-
possible to give a debt.
But what a low thought of God does this argue ! Consider
what it is you would make of God. Must he be so tied up, that
he cannot use his own pleasure in bestowing his own gifts ? Is
he obliged to bestow them on one, because it is his pleasure to
bestow them on another ? Is not God worthy to have the same
right to dispose of his gifts, as a man has of his money ? or is it
because God is not so great, and therefore should be more sub-
ject, more under bounds, than men ? Is not God worthy to
have as absolute a propriety in his goods as man has in his ?
At this rate, God cannot make a present of any thing ; he has
nothing of his own to bestow. If behave a mind to show a pe-
culiar favour to some, to lay some under special obligations, he
cannot do it, on the supposition, because his favour is not at his
own disposal ! The truth is, men have low thoughts of God, or
else they would willingly ascribe sovereignty to him in this mat-
ter. Matt. XX. 15. " Is it not lawful for me to do what 1 will
with mine own ? Is thine eye evil, because I am good ?"
«b
SEK. in. Divine Sovereignty, 303
God is pleased to show mercy to his enemies, according to
his own sovereign pleasure. And surely it is fit he should. How
unreasonable isit to think that God stands bound to his enemies!
Therefore consider what you do in quarrelling with God, and
opposing his sovereignty. Consider with whom it is you con-
tend. Let all who are sensible of their misery, and afraid of
the wrath of God, consider these things. Those of you who
have been long seeking salvation, but are in great terrors
through fear that God will destroy you, consider what you have
heard, be still, and know that he is God. When God seems to
turn a deaf ear to your cries ; when he seems to frown upon
you ; when he shows mercy to others, your equals, or those who
are worse, and who have been seeking a less time than you ; — -
be still. Consider who he is that disposes and orders these
things. You shall consider it ; you shall know it : he will make
all men to know that he is God. You shall either know it for
your good here, by submission, or to your cost hereafter.
w
SERMON IV.
GREAT GUILT NO OBSTACLE TO THE PARDOri'
OF THE RETURNING SINNER.
Psalm xxv. 11.
Vor thy name''s sake, 0 Lord,pardon mine iniquity jfor it is greats
It is evident by some passages in this psalm, that when it
was penned, it was a time of affliction and danger with David.
This appears particularly by the 15th and following verses:
" Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord ; for he shall pluck my
feet out of the net," &c. His distress makes him think of his
sins, and leads him to confess them, and to cry to God for par-
don, as is suitable in a time of affliction. See verse 7. " Re-
member not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;" and
verse 1 8. " Look upon mine affliction, and my pain, and for-
give all my sins."
It is observable in the text, what arguments the psalmist
makes use of in pleading for pardon.
1. He pleads for pardon for Gocfs name's sake. He has
no expectation of pardon for the sake of any righteousness or
worthiness of his for any good deeds he had done, or any com-
pensation he had made for his sins ; though if man's righteous-
ness could be a just plea, David would have had as much to plead
as most. But he begs that God would do it for his own name's
sake, for his own glory, for the glory of his own free grace, and
for the honour of his own covenant-faithfulness.
* Not dated. All the Sermons in this collection which are not dated, are
supposed to have been written before the year 1733, as from that periofl our au-
thor dated his Sermons.
«^^
r-
SER. IV. Pardon for the greatest Sinners. '^05
2. The psalmist pleads the greatness of his sins as an argu-
ment for mercy. He not only doth not plead his own righteous-
ness, or the smallness of his sins ; he not only doth not say,
Pardon mine iniquity, for I have done much good to counterba-
lance it ; or, Pardon mine iniquity, for it is small, and thou hast
no great reason to be angry with me ; mine iniquity is not so
great that thou hast any just cause to remember it against me ;
mine oflence is not such but that thou mayest well enough over-
look it; but on the contrary he says, Pardon mine iniquity, for it
is great : he pleads the greatness of his sin, and not the small-
ness of it ; he enforces his prayer with this consideration, that
his sins are very heinous.
But how could he make this a plea for pardon? I answer.
Because the greater his iniquity was, the more need he had of
pardon. It is as much as if he had said, Pardon mine iniquity,
for it is so great that I cannot bear the punishment ; my sin is so
great that I am in necessity of pardon ; my case will be exceed-
ingly miserable, unless thou be pleased to pardon me. He
makes use of the greatness of his sin to enforce his plea for par-
don, as a man would make use of the greatness of calamity, in
begging for relief. When a beggar begs for bread, he will plead
the greatness of his poverty and necessity. When a man in dis-
tress cries for pity, what more suitable plea can be urged than
the extremity of his case ? — And God allows such a plea as this;
for he is moved to mercy towards us by nothing in us but the
miserableness of our case. He doth not pity sinners because,
they are worthy, but because they need his pity.
Doctrine. If we truly come to God for mercy, the greats
ness of our sin will be no impediment to pardon. — If it were an
impediment, David would never have used it as a plea for par-
don, as we find he does in the text. — The following things are
needful in order that we truly come to God for mercy :
I. That we should see our misery, and be sensible of our
need of mercy. They who are not sensible of their misery
cannot truly look to God for mercy ; for it is Ihe very notion of
divine mercy, that it is the goodness and grace of God to the
miserable. Without misery in the object, there can be no ex-
ercise of mercy. To suppose mercy without supposing miseryj
or pity without calamity, is a contradiction : therefore men can-
not look upon themselves as proper objects of mercy, unless
they first know themselves to be miserable ; and so unless this
be the case, it is impossible that they should come to God for
mercy. They must be sensible that they are the children of
wrath ; that the law is against them, and that they are exposed
to the curse of it •, that the wrath of God abideth on them ; and
that he is angry with them every day while thev are under the
Vol. VI. 39
306 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
guilt of sin. — They must be sensible that it is a very dreadful
thing to be the object of the wrath of God ; that it iis a very
awful thing to have hinn for their enemy; and that they cannot
bear his wrath. They must be sensible that the guilt of sin
makes them miserable creatures, whatever temporal enjoyments
they have ; that they can be no other than miserable, undone
creatures, so long as God is angry with them ; that they are
without strength, and must perish, and that eternally, unless God
help them. They must see that their case is utterly desperate,
for any thing that any one else can do for them ; that they hang
over the pit of eternal misery ; and that they must necessarily
drop into it, if God have not mercy on them,
ir. They must be sensible that they are not worths/ that
God should have mercy on them. They who truly come to
God for mercy, come as beggars, and not as creditors : they
come for mere mercy, for sovereign grace, and not for any thing
that is due. Therefore, they must see that the misery under
which they lie is justly brought upon them, and that the wrath
to which they are exposed is jiistly threatened against them ; and
that they have deserved that God should be their enemy, and
should continue to be their enemy. They must be sensible that
it would be just with God to do as he hath threatened in his holy
law, viz. make them the objects of his wrath and curse in hell
to all eternity. — They who come to God for mercy in a right
manner, are not disposed to find fault with his severity ; but
they come in a sense of their own utter unworthiness, as with
ropes about their necks, and lying in the dust at the foot of
mercy.
III. They must come to God for mercy in and through
Jesus Christ alone. All their hope of mercy must be from the
consideration of what he is, what he hath done, and what he
hath suflfered ; and that there is no other name given under
heaven, among men, whereby we can be saved, but that of
Christ ; that he is the Son of God, and the saviour of the world ;
that his blood cleanses from all sin, and that he is so worthy,
that all sinners who are in him may well be pardoned and ac-
cepted.— It is impossible that any should come to God for mer-
cy, and at the same time have no hope of mercy. Their com-
ing to God for it, implies that they have some hope of obtain-
ing, otherwise they would not think it worth the while to come.
But they that come in a right manner have all their hope
through Christ, or from the consideration of his redemption, and
the sufficiency of it. — If persons thus come to God for mercy,
the greatness of their sins will be no impediment to pardon.
Let their sins be ever so many, and great, and aggravated, it
i
?^ER. IV. Pardon fur the greatest Sinners. 307
will not make God in the least degree more backward to par-
don them. This may be made evident by the following con-
siderations :
1. The mercy of God is as sufficient for the pardon of the
greatest sins, as for the least ; and that because his mercy is
infinite. That which is infinite, is as much above what is
great, as it is above what is small. Thus God being infinitely
great, he is as much above kings, as he is above beggars ; he is
as much above the highest angel, as he is above the meanest
worm. One infinite measure doth not come any nearer to the
extent of what is infinite, than another. So the mercy of God
being infinite, it must be as sufficient for the pardon of all sin,
as of one. If one of the least sins be not beyond the mercy
of God, so neither are the greatest, or ten thousand of them. —
However, it must be acknowledi^ed, that this alone doth not
prove the doctrine. For, though the mercy of God may be as
sufficient for the pardon of great sins as others, yet there may
be other obstacles, besides the want of mercy. The mercy of
God may be sufficient, and yet the other attributes may oppose
the dispensation of mercy in these cases. — Therefore, 1 observe,
2. That the satisfaction of Christ is as sufficient for the
removal of the greatest guilt, as the least : 1 John i. 7. " The
blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." Acts xiii. 39. " Bj-
him all that believe are justified from all things, from which
ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." All the sins
of those who truly come to God for mercy, let them be what
they will, are satisfied for, if God be true who tells us so ; and
i[ they be satisfied for, surely it is not incredible that God
should be ready to pardon them. So that Christ, having fully
satisfied for all sin, or having wrought out a satisfaction that is
sufficient for all, it is now no way inconsistent with the glory of
the divine attributes, to pardon the greatest sins of those who
in a right manner come unto him for it. God may now pardon
the greatest sinners^ without any prejudice to the honour of his
holiness. The holiness of God will not suffer him to give the
least countenance to sin, but inclines him to give proper testi-
monies of his hatred of it. But Christ having satisfied for sin,
God can now love the sinner, and give no countenance at all
to sin, however great a sinner he may have been. It was a
sufficient testimony of God's abhorrence of sin, that he poured
out his wrath on his own dear Son, when he took the guilt of it
upon himself. Nothing can more show God's abhorrence of
sin than this. If all mankind had been eternally damned, it
would not have been so great a testimony of it.
God may, through Christ, pardon the greatest sinner, with-
out any prejudice to the honour of his majesty. The honour
of the divine majesty, indeed, requires satisfaction ; but the suf-
30y I'RACTIC'AL SERM©Kfe.
feriugs of Christ fulJj repair the injury. Let the contempt be
«ver so great, yet if so honourable a person as Christ under-
takes to be a Mediator for the offender, and suffers so much for
him, it fully repairs the injury done to the Majesty of heaven
and earth. The sufferings of Christ fully satisfy justice. The
justice of God, as the supreme Governor and Judge of the
world, requires the punishment of sin. The supreme Judge
must judge the world according to a rule of justice. God doth
not show mercy as a judge, but as a sovereign ; therefore his
exercise of mercy as a sovereign, and his justice as a judge,
must be made consistent one with another ; and this is done by
the sufferings of Christ, in which sin is punished fully, and
justice answered. Rom. iii. 25, 26. "Whom God hath set
forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God ; to declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness ; that he might be just, and the justifier of him
which believeth in Jesus." The law is no impediment in the
way of the pardon of the greatest sin, if men do but truly come
to God for mercy. For Christ hath fulfilled the law ; he hath
borne the curse of it, in his sufferings ; Gal. iii. 13. " Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree."
3. Christ will not refuse to save the greatest sinners, who,
in«a right manner, come to God for mercy -, for this is his work.
It is his business to be a Saviour of sinners ; it is the work upon
which he came into the world ; and, therefore, he will not object
to it. He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to re-
pentance, Matt. ix. 1 3. Sin is the very evil which he came into
the world to remedy ; therefore he will not object to any man,
that he is very sinful. The more sinful he is, the more need of
Christ. The sinfulness of man was the reason of Christ's
coming into the world ; this is the very misery from which he
came to deliver men. The more they have of it, the more
need they have of being delivered : " They that are whole,
need not a physician ; but they that are sick;" Matt. ix. 12.
The physician will not make it an objection against healing a
man who applies to him, that he stands in great need of his
help. If a physician of compassion comes among the sick and
wounded, surely he will not refuse to heal those that stand in
most need of healing, if he be able to heal them.
4. Herein doth the glory of grace^ by the redemption of
Christ much consist, viz. in its sufficiency for the pardon of the
greatest sinners. The whole contrivance of the way of salva-
tion is for this end, to glorify the free grace of God. God had it
on his heart, from all eternity, to glorify this attribute ; and
mER. iv. Pardon for the greatest Sinntra. 30?^
therefore it is, that the device of saving sinners by Christ was
conceived. The greatness of divine grace appears very much
in this, that God by Christ saves the greatest otfenders. The
greater the guilt of any sinner is, the more glorious and won-
derful is the grace manifested in his pardon : Rom. v 20.
"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The
apostle, when telling how great a sinner he had been, takes no-
tice of the abounding of grace in his pardon, of uhich his
great guilt was the occasion : 1 Tim. i. 13. "Who was be-
fore a blaspheir.er, -nd a persecutor, and injurious- But I
obtained mercy , and the grace of our Lord was exceeding
abundant, with faith and love which is in Christ Jesu?." The
Redeemer is glorified, in that he proves sufficient to redeem
those who are exceeding sinful, in that his blood proves suffi-
cient to wash away the greatest guilt, in that he is able to save
men to the uttermost, and in that he redeems even from the
greatest misery. It is the honour of Christ to save the great-
est sinners, when they come to him, as it is the honour of a
physician that he cures the most desperate diseases or wounds.
Therefore, no doubt, Christ will be willing to save the greatest
sinners, if they come to him ; for he will not be backward to
glorify himself, and to commend the value and virtue of his
own blood. Seeing he hath so laid out himself to redeem sin-
ners, he will not be unwilling to show that he is able to redeem
to the uttermost.
5. Pardon is as niiuch offered and promised to the greatest
sinners as any, if they will come aright to God for mercy. The
invitations of the gospel are always in universal terms : as. Ho,
everyone that thirsteth; come unto me, all ye that labour, and
are heavy laden; and whosoever will, let him come. And the
voice of Wisdom is to men in general : Prov. viii. 4. '' Unto
you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.'! Not
to moral men, or re-ligious men, but to you., O men. So
Christ promises, John vi. 37. " Him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise cast out." This is the direction of Christ to
his apostles, after his resurrection, Mark xvi. 15, 16. "Go
ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature :
he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved :" which
is agreeable to what the apostle saith, that " the gospel was
preached to every creature which is under heaven," Col. i. 23.
APPLICATION.
The proper use of this subject is, to encourage sinners
whose consciences are burdened with a sense of guilt, immedi-
ately to go to God, through Christ, for mercy. If you go in the
manner we have described, the arms of mercy are open to em-
310 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
brace you. You need not be at all the more fearful of comin"
because of your sins, let them be ever so black. If you had as
much guilt lying on each of your souls as all the wicked men in
the world, and all the damned souls in hell ; yet if you come to
God for mere}, sensible of your own vileness, and seeking par-
don only through the free merc^ of God in Christ, you would
not need to be afraid ; the greatness of your sins would be no
impediment to your pardon. Therefore if your souls be bur-
dened, and )ou are distressed for fear of hell, you need not bear
that burden and distress an> longer. If you are hut willing,
you may freely come and unload yourselves, and cast all your
burdens on Christ, and rest in him.
But here I shall speak to some Objections which some
awakened sinners may be ready to make against what I now ex-
hort them to.
1. Some may be ready to object, I have spent my youth
and all the best of my life in sin, and I am afraid God will not
accept of me when 1 oiTer him only mine old age. To this I
would answer, — 1. Hath God said any where, that he will not
accept of old sinners who come to him ? God hath often made
offers and promises in universal terms ; and is there any such
exception put in ? Doth Christ say, all that thirst, let them
come to me and drink, except old sinners ? Come to me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, except old sinners, and 1 will
give you rest ? Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast
out. if he be not an old sinner? Did you ever read any such
exception any where in the Bible ? And why should you give
way to exceptions which >ou make out of \our own heads, or
rather which the devil puts into your heads, and which have no
foundation in the word of God ? — Indeed it is more rare that
old sinners are willing to come, than others; but if they do
come, they are as readily accepted as any whatever.
2. When God accepts of young persons, it is not for the
sake of the service which they are like to do him afterwards, or
because youth is better worth accepting than old age. You
seem entirely to mistake the matter, in thinking that God will
not accept of you because you are old ; as though he readily
accepted of persons in their youth, because their youth is better
worth his acceptance ; whereas it is only for the sake of Jesus
Christ, that God is willing to accept of any.
You say your life is almost spent, and you are afraid that
the best time for serving God is past ; and that therefore God
will not now accept of you ; as if it were for the sake of the
service which persons are like to do him, after they are con-
verted, that he accepts of them. But a self-righteous spirit is
at the bottom of such objections. Men cannot get off from the
^notion, that it is for some goodness or service of their own,
H
i
3En. IV. Pardon for the greatest Sinners. 311
either done or expected tp be done, that God accepts of persons,
and receives them into favour. — Indeed they who denj God
their youth, the best part of their hve.*, and sspend it in the ser-
vice of Satan, dreadfully sin, and provoke God ; a.id he very
often leaves them to hardness of heart, when the) are grown old.
But if they are willing to accept of Christ when old. he is as
ready to receive them as any others ; for in that matter God huth
respect only to Christ and his worthmess.
II. But I am afraid that I have committed sins that are pe-
culiar to reprobates. I have sinned against light, and strong
convictions of conscience ; I have sinned [)resumptuously ; and
have so resisted the strivings of the Spirit of God, that I am
afraid I have committed such sins as none of God's elect ever
commit. 1 cannot think that God will ever leave one whom he
intends to save, to go on and commit sins against so much light
and conviction, and with such horrid presumption. — Others
may say, I have had risings of heart against God ; blasphemous
thoughts, a spiteful and maliciou? spirit ; and have abused mercy
and the strivings of the Spirit, trampled upon the Saviour, and
my sins are such as are peculiar to those who are reprobated
to eternal damnation. To all this 1 would answer,
1 . There is no sin peculiar fo reprobates, but the sin against
the Holy Ghojt. Do you read of any other in (he word of God ?
And if you do not read of any there, what ground have you to
think any such thing? What other rule have we, by w^hich to
judge of such matters, but the divine word ? If we venture to
go beyond that, we shall be miserably in he dark. When we
preti nd to go farther in our determinations than the word of
God, Satan takes us up, and leads us. It seems to you that such
sins are peculiar to the reprobate, and such as God never for-
gives. But what reason can you give for it, if you have no
word of God to reveal it ? Is it because you cannot see how
the mercy of God is sufficient to pardon, or the blood of Christ
to cleanse from such presumptuous sins ? If so, it is because
you never yet saw how great the mercy of God is ; you never
saw the sufficiency of the blood of Christ, and you know not
how far the virtue of it extends. Some elect persons have been
guilty of all manner of sins, except the sin against the Holy
Ghost; and unless you have been guilty of this, you have not
been guiltv of any that are peculiar to reprobates.
2. Men may be less likely to believe, for sins which they
have committed, and not the less readily pardoned when they
do believe. It must be acknowledged that some sinners are in
riiore danger of hell than others- Though all are in great dan-
ger, some are less likely to be saved. Some are less likely ever
to be converted and to come lo Christ : but all who d© come to
312 Practical sermons.
him are alike readily accepted ; and there is as much encourage-
ment for one man to come to Christ as another. — Such sins as
you inciitioii are indeed exceeding heinou? a d provoking ta
God, and do in an es|->ecial manner brin,; the soul into danger
of damnation, and into danger of being given to final hardness
of heart : ind God more commonly gives men up to the judg-
ment of rina! hardness for such sins, than for others. Yet they
are not peculiar to reprobates ; there is but one sin that is so,
viz. that against the Hol> Ghost. And notwithstanding the sins
which you have committed, if you can tind it in your hearts to
come to Christ, and close with him, you will be accepted not at
all the less readily because you have committed such sins. —
Though God doth more rarely cause some sorts of sinners to
come to Christ than others ; it is not because his mercy or the
redemption of Christ is not as sufficient for them as others, but
because in wisdom he sees fit so to dispense his grace for a restraint
upon the wickedness of men ; and because it is his will to give
converting grace in the use of means, among which this is one,
viz. to lead a moral and religious life, and agreeable to our light,
and the convictions of our consciences. But when once any
sinner is willing to come to Christ, merry is as ready for him as
for any. There is no consideration at all had of his sins ; let
him have been ever so sinful, his sins are not remembered ; God
doth not upbraid him with them.
III. But had I not better stay till I shall have made myself
better, before 1 presume to come to Christ. I have been, and
see myself to be very wicked now : but am in hopes of mending
myself, and reiidering myself at least not so wicked : then I shall
have more courage to come to God for mercy. In answer to this,
1. Consider how unreasonably you act. You are striving
to set up yourselves for your own saviours ; you are striving to
get something of your own, on the account of which you may
the more readily be accepted. So that by this it appears that
you do not seek to be accepted only on Christ's account.
And is not this to rob Christ of the glory of being your only
Saviour ? Yet this is the way in which you are hoping to make
Christ willing to save you.
2. You can never come to Christ at all, unless you first
see that he will not accept of you the more readily for any
thing that you can do. You must first see that it is utterly
in vain for you to try to make yourselves better on any such
account. Yon must see that you can never make yourselves
anv more worthy, or less unworthy, by any thing which you can
perform.
3. If ever you truly come to Christ, you must see that
there is enough in him for your pardon, though you be no bet-
SER. iV. Pardon for the greatest Sinners. 313
ter than you are. If you see not the sufficiency of Christ to
pardon you, without any righteousness of your own to recom-
mend you, you never will come so as to be accepted of him.
The way to be accepted is to come — not on any such en-
couragement, that now you have made yourselves better, and
more woithy, or not so unworthy, but — on the mere encourage-
ment of Christ's worthiness, and God's mercy.
4. If ever you truly come to Christ, you must come to
him to make you better. You must come as a patient comes
to his physician, with his diseases or wounds to be cured.
Spread all your wickedness before him, and do not plead your
goodness ; but plead your badness, and your necessity on that
account; and say, as the psalmist in the text, not pardon mine
iniquity, for it is not so great as it was ; but, " Pardon mine ini-
quity, for it is great."
Vol. \i, iO
SERMON V.'^
THE MOST HIGH A PRAYER-HEARING GODi
Psalm se»'. 2.
O thou that hearest Prayei\
This psalm seems to be written, either as a psalm of praise
to God for some remarkable answer of prayer, in the bestow-
ment of some public mercy ; or else, on occasion of some spe-
cial faith and confidence which David had that his prayer would
be answered. It is probable that this mercy bestowed, or ex-
pected to be bestowed, was some great public mercy, for which
David had been very earnest and importunate, and had annexed
a vow to his prayer ; and that he had vowed to God, that if he
would grant him his request, he would render him praise and
glory. This seems to be the reason why he expresses himself
as he does in the first verse of the psalm : " Praise waiteth for
thee, O God, in Sion ; and unto thee shall the vow be per-
formed ;" i. e. that praise which I have vowed to give thee, on
the answer of my prayer, waiteth for thee, to be given thee as
soon as thou shalt have answered my prayer ; and the vow
which I made to thee shall be performed.
In the verse of the text, there is a prophecy of the glorious
times of the gospel, when " all flesh shall come" to the true
God, as to the God who heareth prayer , which is here mentioned
as what distinguishes the true God from the gods to whom the
nations prayed and sought, those gods who cannot hear, and
cannot answer their prayer. The time was coming when all
* Dated January 8, 1735 — 6. Preached on a fast appointed on the account
of an epidemical sickness, at the eastward (of Bo3ton.1
SER. V. The Most High a Prayer -hearing God. 315
flesh should come to that God who doth hear prayer. — Hence
we gather this doctrine, that it is the character of the Most High,
that he is a God who hears prayer.
1 shall handle this point in the following method :
1. Show that the Most High is a God that hears prayer.
2. That he is eminently such a God.
?i. 'i'hat herein he is distinguished from all false gods,
4. Give the reasons of the doctrine. ■
I. The Most High is a God that hears prayer. Though he is
infinitcl)' above all, and stands in no need of creatures ; yet he
is graciously pleased to take a merciful notice of poor worms of
the dust. He manifests and presents himself as the object of
prayer, appears as sitting on a mercy-seat, that men may come
to him by prayer. When they stand in need of any thing, he
allows them to come, and ask it of him ; and he is wont
to hear their prayers. God in his word hath given many
promises that he will hear their prayers ; the scripture is
full of such examples ; and in his dispensations towards his
church, manifests himself to be a God that hears prayer.
Here it may be inquired. What is meant by God's hearing
prayer ? There are two things implied in it.
1. His accepting the supplicationsof those who pray to him.
Their address to him is well taken, he is well pleased with it.
He approves of their asking such mercies as they request of him,
and approves of their manner of doing it. He accepts of their
prayers as an offering to him ; he accepts the honour they do
him in prayer.
2. He acts agreeably to his acceptance. He sometimes
manifests his acceptance of their prayers, by special discoveries
of his mercy and sufficiency which he makes to them in prayer,
or immediately after. While they are praying, he gives them
sweet views of his glorious grace, purity, sufficiency, and sove-
reignty ; and enables them, with great quietness to rest in him,
to leave themselves and their prayers with him, submitting to
his will, and trusting in his grace and faithfulness. Such a ma-
nifestation God seems to have made of himself in prayer to
Hannah, which quieted and composed her mind, and took away
her sadness. We read (1 Sam. i.) how earnest she was, and
how exercised in her mind, and that she was a woman of a sor-
rowful spirit. But she came and poured out her soul before
God, and spake out of the abundance of her complaint and
grief: then we read, that she went away, and did eat, and
her countenance was no more sad, verse 13; which seems
to have been from some refreshing discoveries which God
had made of himself to her, to enable her quietly to submit
to his will, and trust in his mercy, whereby God manifested
his acceptance of her. — Not that I conclude persons can hence
316 t'RACTICAL SERMONS.
argue, that the particular thing which they ask will certainly be
given them, or that they can particularly foretel from it what
God will do in answer to their prayers, any further than he has
promised in his word ; yet God may, and doubtless does, thus
testify his acceptance of their prayers, and from hence they may
confidently rest in his providence, in his merciful ordering and
disposing, with respect to the thing that they ask. Again, God
manifests his acceptance of their prayers, hy doing for them agree-
ably to their needs and supplications. He not only inwardly
and spiritually discovers his mercy to their souls by his Spirit,
but outwardly by dealing mercifully with them in his providence,
in consequence of their prayers, and by causing an agreeable-
ness between his providence and their prayers. 1 proceed
P0W5
If. To show that the Most High is eminently a God that
hears prayer. This appears in several things.
1. In his giving such free access to him by prayer. God
in his word manifests himself ready at all times to allow us this
privilege. He sits on a throne of grace ; and there is no veil to
hide this throne, and keep us from it. The veil is rent from the
top to the bottom ; the way is open at all times, and we may go
to God as often as we please. Although God be infinitely above
us, yet we may come with boldness: Heb. iv. 14, 16. "Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." How
wonderful is it that such worms as we should be allowed to come
boldly at all times to so great a God! Thus God indulges all
kinds of persons, of all nations. 1 Cor. i. 2, 3. " Unto all that
in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both
theirs and ours ; grace be unto you,"' &ic. Yea, God allows
the most vile and unworthy ; the greatest sinners are allowed to
come through Christ. And he not only allows, but encourages,
and frequently invites them; yea, manifests himself as delight-
ing in being sought to by prayer: Prov. xi. 8. "The prayer of
the upright is his delight;" and in Cant. ii. 14. we have Christ
saying to his spouse, " O my dove, let me hear thy voice ;
for sweet is thy voice." The voice of the saints in prayer is
sweet unto Christ; he delights to hear it. He allows them to
be earnest and importunate ; yea, to the degree as to take no de-
nial, and as it were to give him no rest, and even encouraging
them to do so : Isa. Iviii. 6, 7. " Ye that make mention of the
Lord, keep not silence and give him no rest." Thus Christ
encourages us, in the parable of the importunate widow and the
unjust judge, Luke xviii. So, in the parable of the man, who
went to his friend at midnight, Luke xi. 5, &;c.
Thus God allowed Jacob to wrestle with him, yea, to be
resolute in it ; "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."'
3ER. V. The Most High a Prayer-hearing God, 317
It is noticed with approbation, when men are violent for the
kingdom of heaven, and take it by force. Thus Christ suffered
the blind man to be most importunate and unceasing in his cries
to him, Luke xviii. 38, 39. He continued crying, '* Jesus,
thou Son of David, have mercy on me.'' Others who were
present rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, looking
upon it as too great a boldae^s, and an indecent behaviour to-
wards Christ, thus to cry after him as be passed by. But Christ
did not rebuke him, but stood, &[id commanded him to be brought
unto him, saying, " What wilt thou that 1 should do to thee V
And when the blind mail had (old him, Christ graciously granted
his request. The freedom of access that God gives, appears also
in allowing us to come to him by prayer for every thins; we need,
both temporal and spiritual ; whatever evil we need to be deli-
vered from, or good we would obtain : Phil. iv. 6. "" Bv.' care-
ful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
2. That God is eminently of this character^ appears in his
hearing prayer so readily. He often manifests his readiness to
hear prayer, by giving an answer so speedily, sometimes while
they are yet speaking, and sometimes before they pray, when
they only have a design of praying. So ready is God to hear
prayer, that he takes notice of the tirst purpose of praying, and
sometimes bestows mercy thereupon : Isa. Ixv. 24. "'And it
shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer ; and
while they are yet speaking, I will hear." We read, that when
Daniel was making humble and earnest supplication, God sent
an angel to comfort him, and to assure him of an answer, Dan.
ix. 20 — 24. When God defers for the present to answer the
prayer of faith, it is not from any backwardness to answer, but
for the good of his people sometimes, that they may be be'ter
prepared for the mercy before they receive it, or because ano-
ther time would be the best and fittest on some other account :
and even then, when God seems to delay an answer, the answer
is, indeed, hastened, as in Luke xviii. 7, 8. "And shall not
God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him,
though he bear long with them? 1 tell you, that he will avenge
them speedily." Sometimes, when the blessing seems to tarry,
God is even then at work to bring it about in the best time and
the best manner: Hab. ii. 3. " Though it tarry, wait for it ;
it will come, it will not tarry."
3. That the Most High is eminently one that hears prayer,
appears by his giving so liberally in answer to prayer: Jam. i.
5,6. '* If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. who
giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not." Men often show
their backwardness to give, both by the scantiness of their gifts,
and by upbraiding those who ask of them. They will be sure
to put them in mind of some faults, when they give them any
thing : but, on the contrary, God gives liberally, and upbraids
,)i8 TRACTICAL SERMONs.
US not with our undeservings. He is plenteous and rich in his
communications to those who call upon him : Psal. Ixxxvi. 5.
*' For thou art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy
unto all that call upon thee ;" and Rom. x. 1 2. " For there is no
difference between the Jew and the Greek ; for the same Lord over
all is rich unto all that call upon him." Sometimes, God not only
gives the thing asked, bui he gives them more than is asked. —
So he did to Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 12, 13. "Behold, I have
done according to thy words : Id, I have given thee a wise and
an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee be-
fore thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. —
Arjd I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked,
.both riches and honour; so thai theie shall not be any among
the kings like unto thee, all thy days." Yea, God will give
more to his people than they can either ask or think, as is im-
plied in Ephes. iii. 20. " Now unto him that is able to do ex-
ceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."
4. That God is eminently of this character, appears by
the greatness of the things which he hath often done in answer
to prayer. Thus, when Esau was coming out against his bro-
ther Jacob, with four hundred men, without doubt fully resolv-
ed to cut him off, Jacob prayed, and God turned the heart of
Esau, so that he met Jacob in a very friendly manner; Gen.
xxxii. So in Egypt, at the prayer of Moses, God brought those
dreadful plagues, and, at his prayer, removed them again. —
When Samson was ready to perish with thirst, he prayed to
God, and he brought water out of a dry jaw-bone, for his sup-
ply, Judg. xv. 18, 19. And when he prayed, after his strength
was departed from him. God strengthened him, so as to pull
down the temple of Dagon on the Philistines ; so that those
whom he slew at his death, were more than all those whom he
slew in his life. — Joshua prayed to God, and said, " Sun, stand
thou still upon Gibeon ; and thou. Moon, in the valley of Aja-
lon ; and God heard his prayer, and caused the sun and moon
to stand still accordingly. The prophet " Elijah was a man of
like passion" with us ; "and he prayed earnestly that it might
not rain ; and i rained not on the earth by the space of three
years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven
gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit ;" as the apos-
tle James observes. Jam. v. 17, 18. So God confounded the
army of Zerah the Ethiopian, of a thousand thousand, in an-
swer to the prayer of Asa, 2 Chron. xiv. 9, &c. And God
sent an angel, and slew in one night an hundred and eighty-five
thousand men of Sennacherib's army, in answer to Hezekiah's
prayer, 2 Kings xix. 14 — 1(3, 19, 35.
5. This truth appears, in that God is, as it were, overcome
by prayer. When God is displeased by sin, he manifests his
displeasure, comes out against us in his providence, and seems
to oppose and resist us : in such cases, God is, speaking after
SER. V. The Most High a Prayer-hearing God. 319
the manner of men, overcome by humble and fervent prayer.
" The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much," Jam. v. 16. It has a great power in it ; such a prayer-
hearing God is the Most High, that he graciously manifests him-
self as conquered by it. Thus God appeared to oppose Jacob
in what he sought of him; yet Jacob was resolute and over-
came. Therefore God changed his name from Jacob to ]^^ael ;
"for," says he, "as a prince thou hast power with God and
with men, and hast prevailed." Gen. xxxii. 28. A mighty
prince indeed ! Hos. xii. 4. "Yea, he had power over the
angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto
him." — When his anger was provoked against Israel, and he
appeared to be ready to consume them in his hot displeasure,
Moses stood in the gap, and by his humble and earnest prayer
and supplication, averted the stroke of divine vengeance. Exod»
xxxii. 9, &:c. and Numb. xiv. 1 1, &:c.
III. Herein the Most High God is distinguished from false
gods. The true God is the only one of this character, there is
no other of whom it may be said, that he heareth prayer.
Many of those things that are worshipped as gods are idols
made by their worshippers 5 mere stocUs and stones that know
nothing. They are indeed made with ears; but they hear not
the prayers of ihem that cry to them. They have eyes, but they
see not, &c. Psal. cxv. 5, 6. — Others, though not the work of
men's hands, yet are things without life. Thus, many worship
the sun, moon and stars, which though glorious creatures, }et
are not capable of knowing any thing of the wants and desires of
those who pray to them. — Some worship certain kitids of ani-
mals, as the Egyptians were wont to worship bulls, which,
though not without life, yet are destitute of that reason whereby
they would be capable of knowing the requests of their wor-
shippers. Others worship devils instead of the true God:
1 Cor. x. 20. "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils." These, though beings of
great powers, have not knowledge necessary to capacitate them
fully to understand the state, .circumstances, necessities, and de-
sires of those who pray to them- But Ihe true God perfectly
knows the circumstances of every one that prays to him through-
out the world. Though millions pray to him at once, in dif-
ferent parts of the world, it is no more diflicult for him who is in-
finite in kiiowledge, to take notice of all than of one alone. God
is so perfect iii knowledge, that he doth not need to be informed
by" us, in order to a knowledge of our wants; for he knows
what things we need before we ask him. The worshippers of
false gods were wont to lift their voices and cry aloud, lest their
gods should fail of hearing them, as Elijah tauntingly bade (he
worshippers of Baal do, 1 Kings xviii. 27, But the true God
326 IRACTICAL SERMONS.
hears the silent petitions of his people. He needs not that we
should cry aloud ; yea, he knows and perfectly understands
when we only pra) in our hearts, a? Hannah did, 1 Sam. i. 13.
Idols are but vanities and lies; in them is no help. As to
power or kr;owledge, they are nothinij;; as the apostle says,
1 Cor. viii. 4. "An idol is nothing in the world." As to
image-^. they are so far from having power to answer prayer,
that they are noc able to act : " They have hands, and handle
not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they
through their throat." They, therefore, that make them and
pray to them, are senseless and sottish,, and make themselves as
it were stocks and stones, like unto them : Psal. cxv. 7, 8. and
Jer. X. 5. " They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not ;
they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not
afraid of them; for they cannot do evil; neither also is it in
them to do good," As to the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon,
and stars, although mankind receive benefit by them, yet they
act only by necessity of nature ; therefore they have no power
to do any thing in answer to prayers. And devils, though'
worshipped as gods, are not able, if they had disposition, to
make those happy who worship them, and can do nothing at all
but by divine permission, and as subject to the disposal of Di-
vine providence. — When the children of Israel departed from
the true God to idols, and yet cried to him in their distress, he
reproved them for their folly, by bidding them cry to the gods
whom they had served, for deliverat)ce in the time of their
tribulation. Josh. x. 14. So God challenges those gods them-
selves, Isa. xli. 23, 24. "Show the things that are to come
hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods ; yea, do good or
do evil, that we maybe dismayed, and behold it together. Be-
hold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought ; an abomina-
tion is he that chooseth you." — These false gods, instead of
helping those who pray to them, cannot help themselves. The
devils are miserable tormented spirits ; they are bound in chains
of darkness for their rebellion against the true God, and can-
not deliver themselves. Nor have they any more disposition
to help mankind, than a parcel -of hungry wolves or lions
would have to protect and help a flock of lambs. And those
that worship and pray to them, get not their good-will by ser-
ving them : all the reward that Satan will give them for the
service which they do him, is to devour them — I proceed now,
IV. To give the reasons of the doctrine ; which I would
do in answer to these two inquiries : firsts Why God requires
prayer in order to the bestowment of mercies ? and secondly.
Why God is so ready to hear the prayers of men ?
Inq. I. Why doth God require prayer in order to the
bestowment of mercies?
sfeit. V. The Most High a Prayer-hearing God. 321
It is not in order that God may be informed of our wants
or desires. He is omniscient, and with respect to his knowledge
unchangeable. God never gains any knowledge by information*
He knows what we want, a thousand times more perfectly than
we do ourselves, before we ask him. For though, speaking after
the 'Tianner of men, God is sometimes represented as if he were
moved and persuaded by the prayers of his people ; yet it is
not to be thought tliat God is properly moved or made willing
by our prayers; for it is no more possible that there should.be
any new inclination or will in God, than new knowledge.
The mercy of God is not moved or drawn by any thing in the
creature ; but the spring of God's beneficence is within himself
only ; he is self-moved ; and whatsoever mercy he bestows, the
reason and ground of it is not to be sought for in the creature,
but in God's own good pleasure. It is the will of God to bestow
mercy in this way, viz. in answer to prayer, when he designs
beforehand to bestow mercy, yea, when he has promised
it ; as Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37. " I the Lord have spoken it, and
will do it. Thus saith the Lord, I will yet for this be inquired,
of hy the house of Israel, to do it for them." God has been
pleased to constitute prayer to be an antecedent to the bestow*
raent of mercy ; and he is pleased to bestow mercy in conse-
quence of prayer, as though he were prevailed on by prayer. — -
When the people of God are stirred up to prayer, it is the effect
of his intention to show mercy ; therefore he pours out the spi*
rit of grace and supplication.
There may be two reasons given why God requires prayer
in order to the bestowment of mercy ; one especially respects
God, and the other respects ourselves.
1. With respect to God, prayer is but a sensible acknow-
ledgment of our dependence on him to his glory. As he hath
made all things for his own glory, so he will be glorified and
acknowledged by his creatures ; and it is fit that he should re-
quire this of those who would be the subjects of his mercy.
That we, when we desire to receive any mercy from him, should
humbly supplicate the Divine Being for the bestowment of that
mercy, is but a suitable acknowledgment of our dependence oa
the power and mercy of God, for that which we need, and but a
suitable honour paid to the grieat Author and Fountain of all good.
2. With respect to ourselves, God requires prayer of us in
order to the bestowment of mercy, because it tends to prepare
us for its reception. Fervent prayer many ways tends to pre-
pare the heart. Hereby is excited a sense of our need and of
the. value of the mercy which we seek, and at the same time
earnest desires for it ; whereby the mind is more prepared to
prize it, to rejoice in it when bestowed, and to be thankful for
it. Prayer, with suitable confession, may excite a sense of our
unworthiness of the mercy we seek ; and the placing of ourselves
Vol. VI, 11
322 I-RACTICAL SERMONS,
in the immediate presence of God, may make us sensible of bis
majesty, and in a sense fit to receive mercy of him. Our prayer
to God may excite in us a suitable sense and consideration of our
dependence on God for the mercy we ask, and a suitable ex-
ercise of faith in God's sufficiency, that so we may be prepared
to glorify his name when the mercy is received,
Inq. II. Why is God so ready to hear the prayers of men ?
— To this I answer,
1. Because he is a God of infinite grace and mercy. It is
indeed a very wonderful thing, that so great a God should be so
ready to hear our prayers, though we are so despicable and un-
worthy : that he should give free access at all times to every one;
should allow us to be importunate, without esteeming it an in-
decent boldness ; should be so rich in mercy to them that call
upon him ; that worms of the dust should have such power with
God by prayer; that he should do such great things in answer
to their prayers, and should show himself, as it were, overcome
by them. This is very wonderful, when we consider the dis-
tance between God and us, and how we have provoked him by
our sins, and how unworthy we are of the least gracious notice.
It cannot be from any need that God stands in of us ; for our
goodness extendeth not to him. Neither can it be from any thing
in us to incline the heart of God to us ; it cannot be from any
worthiness in our prayers, which are in themselves polluted
things. But it is because God delights in mercy and conde-
scension. He is herein infinitely distinguished from all other
gods : he is the great fountain of all good, from whom goodness
flows as light from the sun.
2. We have a glorious Mediator, who has prepared the way,
that our prayers may be heard consistently with the honour of
God's justice and majesty. Not only has God in himself mercy
sufficient for all this, but the Mediator has provided that this
mercy may be exercised consistently with the divine honour.
Through him we may come to God for mercy ; he is the way,
the truth, and the life ; no man can come to the Father but by
him. This Mediator hath done three things to make way for
the hearing of our prayers,
(1.) He hath by his blond made atonement for sin; so
that our guilt need not stand in the way, as a separating wall
between God and us, and that our sins might not be a cloud
through which our prayers cannot pass. By his atonement he
hath made the way to the throne of grace open. God would
have been infinitely gracious if there had been no Mediator ;
but the way to the mercy-seat would have been blocked up.
But Christ hath removed whatever stood in the way. The
veil which was before the mercy scat " is rent from the top
to the bottom." by the death of Christ, If it had not been
-ER. V. The Most High a Prai/er-hearing God, 32S
for this, our guilt would have remained as a wall of brass to
hinder our approach. But all is removed by his blood, Heb.
X. 17, &;c. '
(2.) Christ, by his obedience, has purchased this privi-
lege, viz. that the prayer.-; of those who believe in him should
be heard ; he has not otily removed the obstacles to our pray-
ers, but has merited a hearing of them. His merits are the
incense that is offered with the prayers of the saints, which
renders them a sweet savour to God, and acceptable in his
sight. Hence the prayers of the saints have such power with
God ; hence at the prayer of a poor worm of the dust, God
stopped the sun in his course for about the space of a whole
day ; hence Jacob as a prince had power with God, and pre-
vailed. Our prayers would be of no account, and of no
avail with God, were it not for the merits of Christ.
(3.) Christ enforces the prayers of his people, by his
intercession at the right hand of God in heaven. He hath
entered for us into the holy of holies, with the incense which
he hath provided, and there he makes continual intercession
for all that come to God in his name; so that their prayers
come to God the Father through his hands, if I may so say ;
which is represented in Rev. viii. 3, 4. " And another angel
came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer ; and
there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer
it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar,
which is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense
which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up be-
fore God, out of the angePs hand." This was typified of old
by the priest's offering incense in the temple, at the time when
the people were offering up their prayers to God ; as Luke
i. 10. "And the whole multitude of the people were praying
without at the time of incense."
APPLICATION.
Hence we may learn how highly we are privileged, in
that we have the Most High revealed to us, who is a God that
heareth prayer. The greater part of mankind are destitute of
this privilege. Whatever their necessities are, whatever their
calamities or sorrows, they have no prayer-hearing God to
whom they may go. If they go to the gods whom they worship,
and cry to them ever so earnestly, it will be in vain. They
worship either lifeless things, that can neither help them ; nor
know that they need help ; or wicked cruel spirits, who are
their enemies, and wish nothing but their misery ; and who,
instead of helping them, are from day to day working their ruin,
and watching over them, as an hungry lion watches over his
prey.
324 PRAGTICAL SERMONS.
How are we distinguished from them, in that we have
the true God made known to us ; a God of infinite grace and
mercy ; a God full of compassion to the miserable, who is ready
to pity us under all our troubles and sorrows, to hear our cries,
and to give us all the relief which we need; a God who de-
lights in mercy, and is rich unto all that call upon him ! How
highly privileged are we, in that we have the holy word of this
same God, to direct us how to seek for mercy ! and what-
ever difficulties or distress we are in, we may go to him with
confidence and great encouragement. What a comfort may
this be to us ! and what reason have we to rejoice in our pri-
vileges, to prize them so highly, and to bless God that he
hath been so merciful to us, as to give us his word and reveal
himself to us ; and that he hath not left us to cry for help to
stocks and stones, and devils, as he has left many thousands of
ptherso
Objection. I have often prayed to God for certain mer-
cies, and he has not heard my prayers. — To this I answer,
1. It is no argument, that God is not a prayer-hearing God,
if he give not to men what they ask of him, to consume upon
their lusts. Oftentimes when men pray for temporal good
things, they desire them for no good end, but only to gratify
their pride or sensuality. If they pray for worldly good things
chiefly from a worldly spirit ; and make an idol of the world :
it is no wonder that God doth not hear their prayers ; Jam. iv.
3. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume
it upon your lusts.*' If you request him to give you something
of which you will make an idol, and set up in opposition to him
—or will use as weapons of warfare against him, or as instru-
ments to serve his enemies — no wonder that God will not hear
you. If God should hear such prayers, he would act as his own
enemy, inasmuch as he would bestow them to serve his enemies.
2. It is no argument, that God is not a prayer-hearing
God, that he heareth not insincere and unbelieving prayers.
How can we expect that he should have any respect to that
which has no sincerity in it? God looketh not at words, but
at the heart; and it is fit that he should do so. If men pray
only in words, and not in heart, what are their prayers good
for ? and why should that God who searches the heart, and tries
the reins, have any respect to them ? — Sometimes, men do no-
thing but dissemble in their prayers ; and when they do so, it
is no argument that God is the less a prayer-hearing God, that
be doth not hear such prayers ; for it is no argument of want of
mercy. Sometimes, they pray for that in w.rds which they
really desire not in their hearts ; as that he would purge them
from sin, when, at the same time, they show, by their practice,
that they do not desire to be purged from sin, while they love
•iER, V. The Most High a' Prayer -hearing God. 32f>
and choose it, and are utterly averse to parting with it. In
like manner they often dissemble in pretence and show, which
they make in their prayers, of dependence on God for mercies,
and of a sense of his sufficiency to supply them. In our coming
to God, and pra)in;5 to him for such and such things, there is
a show that we are sensible we are dependent on him for
them, and that he is sufficient to give (hem to us. But men
sometimes seem to pray, while not sensible of their de|'endence
on God, nor do they think him sufficient fo supp!)' them ; for all
the while they trust in themselves, and have no contidence in
God. They show, in words, as though they were beii;^ar>; but
in heart they come as creditors, and look on God as their debtor.
In words, they seem to ask for things as the fruit of free grace;
but in heart they account it would be hard, unjust, and cruel, if
God should deny them. In words, they seem humble and sub-
missive, but in heart they are proud and contentious ; there is
no prayer but in their words.
It doth not render God at all the less a prayer-hearing
God, that he distinguishes, as an all-seeing God, between real
prayers and pretended ones. Such prayers as those which I
Iiave just now been mentioning, are not worthy of the name m
the eyes of him who searches the heart, and sees things as they
are. That prayer which is not of faith., is in-incere ; for pra}er
is a show, or manifestation of dependence on God, and trust in
his sufficiency and mercy. Therefore, where this trust or faith
is wanting, there is no prayer in the sight of God. And, how-
ever God is sometimes pleased to grant the requests of those
who have no faith, yet he has not obliged himself so to do ; nor
is it an argument of his not being a prayer-hearing God, when
he hears them not.
3. It is no argument that he is not a prayer-hearing God,
that he exercises his own wisdom as to the time and manner of
answering prayer. Some of God's people are sometimes ready
to think, that he doth not hear their prayers, because he doth
not answer them at the times when they expected ; when, in-
deed, God doth hear them, and will answer them, in the time
and way to which his own wisdom directs. The business of
prayer is not to direct God, who is intinitely wise^ and needs
not any of our directions ; who knows what is best for us ten
thousand times better than we, and knows what time and what
way are best. It is fit that he should an-wer prayer, and, as an
infinitely wise God, in the exercise of his own wisdom, and not
ours. God will deal as a father with us, in answering our re-
quests. But a child is not to expect that the father's wi»dom be
subject to his; nor ought he to desire it, but should esteem it a
privilege, that the parent will provide for him according to his
07vn wisdom.
326 PRACTICAL SKRMONS.
As to particular temporal blessings, for which we pray, ji:
ig no argument that he is not a prayer-hearing God, because
he bestows them not upon us : for it may be that God sees the
things for which we pray not to be best for us. If so, it would
be no mercy in him to bestow them upon us, but a judgment.
Such things, therefore, ought always to be asked with submis-
sion to the divine will. God can answer prayer, though he be-
stow not the very thing for which we pray. He can some-
times better answer the lawful desires and good end we have in
prayer another way. If our end be our own good and happi-
ness, God can, perhaps, better answer that end in bestowing
something else than in the bestowment of that very thing which
we ask. And if the main good we aim at in our prayer be
attained, our prayer is answered, though not in the bestowment
of the individual thing which we sought. And so that may still
be true which was before asserted, that God always hears the
prayer of faith. God never once failed of hearing a sincere
and believing prayer ; and those promises for ever hold good,
" Ask, and ye shall receive ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock,
and it shall be opened to you ; for every one that asketh, re-
ceiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knock-
eth, it shall be opened."
Another use of this doctrine may be, of reproof to those
that neglect the duty of prayer. If we enjoy so great a privi-
lege as to ha\e the prayer-hearing God revealed to us, how
great will be our folly and inexcusableness, if we neglect the
privilege, or make no use of it, and deprive ourselves of the
advantage by not seeking this God by prayer. They are hereby
reproved who nej^lect the great duty of secret prayer, which is
more expressly required in the word of God than any other
kind. What account can those persons give of themselves,
who neglect so known a duty ? It is impossible that any among
us should be ignorant of this command of God. How daring,
therefore, is their wickedness, who live in the neglect of this
duty ! and what can they answer to their judge, when he shall
call them to an account for it?
Here I shall briefly say something to an excuse which some
may be ready to make for themselves. Some m^y be ready to
say. If I do pray ^ my prayer will not he the prayer of faith, be-
cause I am in a natural condition, and have no faith.
This excuses not from obedience to a plain command of
God. The command is to all to whom the command shall
come. God not only directs godly persons to pray, but others
also. In the beginning of the second chapter of Proverbs,
God directs all persons to cry after wisdom, and to lift up their
voices for understanding, in order to their obtaining the fear and
knowledge of God ; and in Jam. i. 5, the apostle says, " If any
man lack wisdom, let him ask of God ; and Peter directed
3ER. V. The Most High a Prayer-hearing God. 327
Simon Magus to repent, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought
of his heart might be forgiven him, Acts viii. 22. Therefore,
when God says, do thus or thus, it is not for us to make excuses,
but we mu-t do the thing required. Boj^ides,
God is pleased sometimes to answer ihe prayers of unbe-
lievers. Indeed he hears not their prajers for their goodness or
acceptableness, or because of any true respect to him mani-
fested in them, for there is none ; nor has he obUged himself to
answer such prayers ; yet he is pleased sometimes, of his sove-
reign mercy, to pity wicked men, and hear their cries. Thus
he heard the cries of the Ninevites, Jonah iii. and the prayer of
Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 27, 28. Though there be no regard to God
in their prayers, yet he, of his infinite grace, is pleased to have
respect to their desires of their own happiness, and to grant
their requests. He may, and son^etimes does, hear the cries of
wicked men, as he hears the hungry ravens, when they cry, Psal.
cxlvii. 9, aiid as he opens his bountiful hand, and satisfies the
de>ires of every living thing, Psal. cxiv. 16. Besides, the
prayers of sinners, though they have no goodness in them, yet
are made a means of a preparation for mercy.
Finally, seeing we have such a prayer-hearing God as we
have heard, let us be much employed in the duty of prayer:
let us pray with all prayer and supplication : let us live prayer-
ful lives, continuing instant m prayer, watching thereunto with
all perseverance ; praying always, without ceasing, earnestly,
and not fainting.
SERMON ¥!•*
CHRISTIAN CAUTIONS, OR THE NECESSITY OF
SELF-EXAMINATION.
PsALai cxxxix. 23, 24.
Search me, O God, and know my heart ; try me, and know mu
thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.
INTRODUCTION.
This psalm is a meditation on the omniscience of God, or
upon his perfect view and knowledge of every thing, which the
Psalmist represents by that perfect knowledge which God had of
all his actions, his downsitting and his uprising; and of his
thoughts, so that he knew his thoughts afar off; and of his words^
" There is not a word in my tongue," says the Psalmist, " but
thou knowest it altogether." Then he represents it by the im-
possibility of fleeing from the divine presence, or of hiding
from him ; so that if he should go into heaven, or hide himself
in hell, or fly to the uttermost parts of the sea ; yet he would
not be hid from God : or if he should endeavour to hide him-
self in darkness, }et that would not cover him; but the dark-
ness and lii^ht are both alike to him. Then he represents it by
the knowledge which God had of him while in his mother's
womb, ver. 15, 16. " My substance was not hid from thee,
when I was made in secret ; thine eyes did see my substance,
yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were
written."
After this the Psalmist observes what must be inferred as
a necessary consequence of this omniscience of God, viz. that
he will slay the wicked, since he seeth all their wickedness, and
nothing of it is hid from him. And last of all, the Psalmist im-
proves this meditation upon God's all-seeing eye, in begging
* This Tract contains the substance of four posthumous discourses, on. the
text Prefixed, first printed at Edinb, 1788,
SER. VI. The Necessity of Self -examinatioiu 32^
of God that he would search and try him, to sec if there were
any wicked way in him, and lead him in the way everlasting.
Three things may be noted in the words.
1. The act of mercy which the Psalmist implores of God
towards himself, that God would search him. "Search me, O
God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts.''
2. In what respect he desires to be searched, viz. " to see
if there were any wicked way in him." We are not to under-
stand by it, that the Psalmist means that God should search him
for his own information. What he had said before, of God's
knowing all things, implies that he hath no need of that. The
Psalmist had said, in the second verse, that God understood his
thought afar off; i. e. it was all plain before him, he saw it with-
out difficulty, or without being forced to come nigh, and dili-
gently to observe. That which is plain to be seen, may be seen
at a distance.
Therefore, when the Psalmist prays that God would search
him, to see if there were any wicked way in him, he cannot
mean that he should search that he himself might see or be in-
formed, but that the Psalmist might see and be informed. He
prays that God would search him by his discovering light ; that
he would lead him thoroughly to discern himself, and see whe-
ther there were any wicked way in him. Such figurative ex-
pressions are often used in scripture. The word of God is said
to be a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Not
that the word itself discerns, but it searches and opens our
hearts to view ; so that it enables us to discern the temper and
desires of our hearts. So God is often said to try men. He
doth not try them for his own information, but for the disco-
very and manifestation of them to themselves or others.
3. Observe to what end he thus desires God to search him,
viz. " That he might be led in the way everlasting:" i. e. not
only in a way which may have a specious show, and appear
right to him for a while, and in which he may have peace and
quietness for the present; but in the way which will hold,
which will stand the test, which he may confidently abide by for
ever, and always approve of as good and right, and in which he
may always have peace and joy. It is said, that "the way of
the ungodly shall perish," Psah i. 6. In opposition to this, the
way of the righteous is in the text said to last for ever,
SECT. I.
All men should be much concerned to knotu lohether they do
not live in some way of sin,
David was much concerned to know this concerning him-
self; he searched himself, he examined his own heart and ways i
Vol. VI. ■ 42
330 IRACTICAL SERMONS.
but lie did not trust to that ; he was still afraid lest there niigsii;
be some wicked way in him, which had escaped his notice :
therefore he cries to God to search him. And his earnestness
appears in the frequent repetition of the same request in different
words : Search me, O God^ and knozo my heart ; h'y me and know
my thoughts. He was very earnest to know whether there were
not some evil way or other in him, in which he went on, and
did not take notice of,
1. We ought to be much concerned to know whether
we do not live in a slate of siju All unregenerate men live in
sin. We are born under the power and dominion of sin, arc
sold under sin ; every unconverted sinner is a devoted servant
to sin and Satan. We should look upon it as of the greatest
importance to us, to know in what state we are, whether we
ever had any change made in our hearts from sin to holiness, or
whether we be not still in the gall of bitterness and bond of ini-
quity ; whether ever sin were truly mortified in us ; whether wc
do not live in the sin of unbelief, and in the rejection of the
Saviour. This is what the apostle insists upon with the Corin-
thians, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. '''' Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith j prove your ozon selves ; knozjo ye not your ozon selves, hozo
that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates /"' Those
who entertain the opinion and hope of themselves, that they are
godly, should take great care to see that their foundation be
right. Those that are in doubt should not give themselves rest
till the matter be resolved.
Every unconverted person lives in a sinfid zoay. He not
only lives in a particular evil practice, biit the whole course of
his life is sinful. The imagination of the thoughts of his heart
is only evil continually. He not only doth evil, but he doth no
good, Psal. xiv. 3. They are altogether become filthy ^ there is
none that doelh good, no not one. Sin is an unconverted man's
trade •, it is the work and business of his life ; for he is the ser-
vant of sin. And ordinarily hypocrites, or those who are wicked
men, and yet think themselves gddly, and make a profession ac-
cordingly, are especially odious and abominable to God.
2. We ought to be much concerned to know whether we
do not live in some parlicidar zvay which is offensive and dis-
pleasing to God: this is what I principally intend. We ought
to be much concerned to know whether we do not live in the
gratification of some lust, either in practice or in our thoughts :
whether we do not live in the omission of some duty, some thing
which God expects we should do ; whether we do not go into
some practice or manner of behaviour, %vhich is not warrantable.
We should inquire whether we do not live in some practice which
is against our light, and whether we do not allow ourselves in
known siris.
SER. VI- The n£CCi,siit/ of Sc/f-E-xamination. 3dl
We should be strict to inquire whether or no we have not
hitherto allowed ourselves in some or other sinful way, through
wrong principles and mistaken notions of our duty ; whether we
have not lived in the practice of some things offensive to God,
through want oi care, and watchfulness, and observation of our-
selves. We should be concerned to know whether we live not
in some way which doth not become the profession we make ;
and whether our practice in some things be not unbecoming
Christians, contrary to Christian rules, not suitable for the dis-
ciples and followers of the Holy Jesus, the Lamb of God. We
ought to be concerned to know this, because,
(1.) God requires of us, that we exercise the utmost zoatch-
fulness and diligence in his service. Reason teaches that it is
our duty to exercise the utmost care, that we may know the
mind and will of God, and our duty in all the branches of it,
and to use our utmost diligence in every thing to do it ; because
the service of God is the great business of our lives ; it is that
work which is the end of our beings •, and God is worthy that
we should serve him to the utmost of our power in all things.
This is what God often expressly requires of us ; Deut. iv. 9.
Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget
the things that thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy
heart all the days of thy life. And v. 15, 16. Take ye therefore
good heed to yourselves, lest ye corrupt yourselves. And Deut.
vi. 17. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord
your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes zohich he hath
commanded thee. And Prov. iv. 23. Keep thy heart zoith all
diligence ; for out of it are the issues of life. So we are com-
manded by Christ to zvatch and pray ; Matt. xxvi. 41, and Luke
xxi. 34, 36. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts
be overcharged zoith surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of
this life, Eph. v. 15. -See that ye zoalk circumspectly. So that
if we be found in any evil way whatsoever, it will not excuse us,
that it was through inadvertence, or that we were not aware of
it ; as long as it is through want of that care and watchfulness in
us, which we ought to have maintained.
(2.) If we live in any way of sin, we live in a way whereby
God is dishonoured ; but the honour of God ought to be su-
premely regarded by all. If every one would make it his great
care in all things to obey God, to live justly and holily, to walk
in every thing according to Christian rules ; and would main-
tain a strict, watchful, and scrutinous eye over himself, to see
if there were no wicked way in him ; would give diligence to
amend whatsoever is amiss ; would avoid every unholy, un-
christian, and sinful way ; and if the practice of all were uni-
versally as becometh Christians, how greatly would this be to
the glory of God, and of Jesus Christ! How greatly would it
be to the credit and honour of religion ! How would it tend to
332 rUAClioAL aLKMO.\S.
excite a high cstfem of religion in spectators, and to recom-
mend a holy life ! How would it stop the mouths of objector?
and opposers! How beautiful and amiable would religion then
appear, when exemplified in the lives of Christians, not maimed
and mutilated, but whole and entire, as it were in its true shape,
having all its parts and its proper beauty ! Religion would then
appear to be an amiable thing indeed.
If those who call themselves Christians, thus walked in all
the paths of virtue and holiness, it would tend more to the ad-
vancement of the kingdom of Christ in the world, the conviction
of sinners, and the propagation of religion among unbelievers,
than all tiie sermons in the world, so long as the lives of those
who are called Christians, continue as they are now. For want
of this concern and zcatchfuhiess in the degree in which it ought
to take place, many truly godly persons adorn not their profes-
sion as they ought to do, and, on the contrary, in some things
dishonour it. For want of being so much concerned as they
ought to be, to know whether they do not walk in some way
that is unbecoming a Christian, and offensive to God ; their be-
haviour in some things is very unlovely, and such as is an
offence and stumbling-block to other?, and gives occasion to the
enemy to blaspheme.
(3.) We should be much concerned to know whether we
do not live in some way of sin, as we would regard our own in-
terest. If we live in any way of sin, it will be exceedingly to
our hurt. Sin, as it is the most hateful evil, is that which is
most prejudicial to our interest, and tends most to our hurt of
any thing in the world. If we live in any way that is displeasing
to God, it may be the ruin of our souls. Though men reform
all other wicked practices, yet if they live in but one sinful
way, which they do not forsake, it may prove their everlasting
undoing.
If we live in any way of sin, we shall thereby ^9 ?'ox)oAe God
to anger, and bring guilt upon our own souls. Neither will it
excuse us, that we were not sensible how evil that way was in
which we walked ; that we did not consider it ; that we were
blind as to any evil in it. We contract guilt not only by living
in those ways which we know, but in those which we might
know to be sinful, if we were but sufliciently concerned to know
what is sinful and what not, and to examine ourselves, and search
our own hearts and ways. If we walk in some evil way, and
know it not for want of watchfulness and consideration, that will
not excuse us ; for we ought to have watched and considered,
and made the most diligent inquiry.
If we walk in some evil way, it will be a great prejudice to
us in this zvorld. We shall thereby be deprived of that comfort
which we otherwise might enjoy, and shall expose ourselves to
a great deal of soul trouble, and sorrow, and darkness, which
SER. VI. The Necessity of Self-Examination. 333
otherwise we might have been free from. A wicked way is the
original way of pain or grief. In it we shall expose ourselves to
the judgments of God, even in this world ; and we shall be great
losers by it, in respect to our eternal interest ; and that though
we may not live in a way of sin wilfully, and with a deliberate
resolution, but carelessly, and through the deceitfulness of our
corruptions. However we shall offend God, and prevent the
flourishing of grace in our hearts, if not the very being of it.
Many are very careful that they do not proceed in mistakes,
where their temporal interest is concerned. They will be
strictly careful that they be not led on blindfold in the bargains
which they make ; in their traflic one with another, they are
careful to have their eyes about them, and to see that they go
safely in these cases ; and why not, where the interest of their
souls is concerned ?
(4.) We should be much concerned to know whether we
do not live in some way of sin, because we are exceedingly prone
to walk in some such way. — The heart of man is naturally prone
to sin; the weight of the soul is naturally that way, as the stone
by its weight tendeth downwards. And there is very much of a
remaining proneness to sin in the saints. Though sin be morti-
fied in them, yet there is a body of sin and death remaining ;
there are all manner of lusts and corrupt inclinations. We are
exceeding apt to get into some ill path or other. Man is so prone
to sinful ways, that without maintaining a constant strict watch
over himself, no other can be expected, than that he will walk in
some way of sin.
Our hearts are so full of sin, that they are ready to betray
us. That to which men are prone, they are apt to get into be-
fore they are aware. Sin is apt to steal in upon us unawares.
Besides this, we live in a world where we continually meet with
temptations ; we walk in the midst of snares ; and the devil, a
subtle adversary, is continually watching over us, endeavouring,
by all manner of wiles and devices, to lead us astray into by-
paths. 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. I am jealous over you. I fear ^ lest by
any means, as the serpent begriiled Eve through his subtlety ; so
your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ,
1 Pet. v. 8. Be sober ; be vigilant ; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour. — These things should make us the more jealous of our-
selves.
(5.) We ought to be concerned to know whether we do not
live in some way of sin ; because there are many who live in
such ways, and do not consider it, or are not sensible of it. It
is a thing of great importance that we should know it, and yet
the knowledge is not to be acquired without difficulty. Many
live in ways which are offensive to God, who are not sensible of
it. They are strangely Winded in this case. Psal. xix. 12. Who
334 PRACTICAL SERMONo.
can understand his errors ? Cleanse thou me from secret faults,
By secret faults, the Psalmist means those which are secret
to himself, those sins which were in him, or which he was guilty
of, and yet was not aware of.
SECT. II.
Why many live in sin, and yet not know it*
That the knowing whether we do not live in some way of
sin is attended with difficulty, is not because the rules of judging
in such a case are not plain or plentiful. God hath abundantly
taught us what we ought, and what we ought not to do ; and
the rules by which we are to walk are often set before us in the
preaching of the word. So that the difficulty of knowing whe-
ther there be any wicked way in us, is not for want of ex-
ternal light, or for want of God's having told us plainly and
abundantly what are wicked ways. But that many persons live
in ways which are displeasing to God, and yet are not sensible
of it, may arise from the following things.
1. From the blinding deceitfid nature of sin. The heart of
man is full of sin and corruption, and that corruption is of an
exceedingly darkening, blinding nature. Sin always carries a
degree of darkness with it ; and the more it prevails, the more
it darkens and deludes the mind. — It is from hence that the
knowing whether there be any wicked way in us is a difficult
thing. The difficulty is not at all for want of light without us.
not at all because the word of God is not plain, or the rules not
clear; but it is because of the darkness within us. The light
shines clear enough around us, but the fault is in our eyes :
they are darkened and blinded by a pernicious distemper.
Sin is of a deceitful nature, because, so far as it prevails,
so far it gains the inclination and will, and that sways and biases
the judgment. So far as any lust prevails, so far it biases the
mind to approve of it. So far as any sin sways the incli-
nation or will, so far that sin seems pleasing and good to the
man : and that which is pleasing, the mind is prejudiced to think
is right. — Hence when any lust hath so gained upon a man, as
to get him into a sinful way or practice ; it having gained his
will, also prejudices his understanding. And the more irregu-
larly a man walks, the more will his mind probably be darkened
and blinded ; because by so much the more doth sin prevail.
Hence many men who live in ways which are not agree-
able to the rules of God's word, yet are not sensible of it ; and
it is a difficult thing to make them so ; because the same lust
that leads them into that evil way, blinds them in it. — Thus,
M a man live in a way of malice or cnvv, the more malice or
&ER. vi. Wliy many living in siti, know it not. 33o
envy prevails, the more will it blind his understanding to ap-
prove of it. The more a man hates his neighbour, the more
will he be disposed to think, that he has just cause to hate him,
and that his neighbour is hateful, and deserves to be hated, and
that it is not his duty to love him. So if a man live in any way
of lasciviousness, the more his impure lust prevails, the more
sweet and pleasant will it make the sin appear, and so the more
will he be disposed and prejudiced to think there is no evil in it.
So the more a man lives in a way of covetousness, or the
more inordinately he desires the profits of the world, the more
%vill he think himself excusable in so doing, and the more will
he think that he has a necessity of those things, and cannot do
without them. And if they be necessary, then he is excusable
for eagerly desiring them. The same might be shown of all the
lusts which are in men's hearts. By how much the more they
prevail, by so much the more do they blind the mind, and dis-
pose the judgment to approve of them. All lusts are deceitful
lusts. Eph. iv. 22. That ye put off^ concerning the former con-
versation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts. And even godly men may for a time be blinded and de-
luded by a lust, so far as to live in a way which is displeasing
to God.
The lusts of men's hearts — prejudicing them in favour of
sinful practices, to which those lusts tend, and in which they de-
light— stir up carnal reason, and put men, with all the subtlety
of which they are capable, to invent pleas and arguments to
justify such practices. When men are very strongly inclined
and tempted to any wicked practice, and conscience troubles
them about it, they will rack their brains to find out arguments
to stop the mouth of conscience, and to make themselves be-
lieve that they may lawfully proceed in that practice.
When men have entered upon an ill practice, and proceeded
in it, then their self-love prejudices them to approve of it. Men
do not love to condemn themselves ; they are prejudiced in their
own favour, and in favourof whatever is found in themselves.
Hence they will find out good names, by which to call their evil
dispositions and practices ; they will make them virtuous, or at
least will make them innocent. Their covetousness they will
call prudence and diligence in business. If they rejoice at
another's calamity, they pretend it is because they hope it will do
him good, and will humble him. If they indulge in excessive
drinking, it is because their constitutions require it. If they talk
against and backbite their neighbour, they call it zeal against
sin ; it is because they would bear a testimony against such
wickedness. If they set up their wills to oppose others in pub-
lic affairs, then they call their wilfulness conscience, or respect
to the public good— Thus they find good names for all their evil
wavs.
336 PRACTICAL SERMONS,
Men are very apt to bring their principles to their prac
tices, and not their practices to their principles, as they ought
to do. They, in their practice, comply not with their con-
sciences ; but all their strife is to bring their consciences to
comply with their practice.
On the account of this deceitfulness of sin, and because
we have so much sin dwelHng in our hearts, it is a difficult
thing to pass a true judgment on our own ways and practices.
On this account we should make diligent search, and be much
concerned to know whether there be not some wicked way in
us. Heb. iii. 12," 1 3. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of
you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of
you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Men can more easily see faults in others then they can in
themselves. When they see others out of the way, they will
presently condemn them, when perhaps they do, or have done
the same, or the like themselves, and in themselves justify it.
Men can discern motes in others' eyes, better than they can
beams in their own. Prov. xxi. 2. Everyway of man is right in
his own eyes. The heart in this matter is exceedingly deceitful,
Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperate-
ly wicked : Who can knozo it ? We ought not therefore to trust
in our own hearts in this matter, but to keep a jealous eye on
ourselves, to pry into our own hearts and ways, and to cry to God
that he would search us, Prov. xxviii. 26. He that trusteth his ozon
heart is a fool.
2. Sataii also sets in with our deceitful lusts, and labours
to blind us in this matter. He is continually endeavouring to
lead us into sinful ways, and sets in with carnal reason to flatter
us in such ways, and to blind the conscience. He is the prince
of darkness ; he labours to blind and deceive ; it hath been his
work ever since he began it with our first parents.
3. Sometimes men are not sensible, because they are
stupifed through custom. Custom in an evil practice stupifies
the mind, so that it makes any way of sin, which at first was
offensive to conscience, after a while, to seem harmless.
4. Sometimes persons live in ways of sin, and are not sen-
sible of it, because they are blinded by common custom, and
the examples of others. There are so many who go into the
practice, and it is so common a custom, that it is esteemed little
or no discredit to a man ; it is little testified against. This
causes some things to appear innocent, which are very displeas-
ing to God, and abominable in his sight. Perhaps we see them
practised by those of whom we have a high esteem, by our
superiors, and those who are accounted wise men. This
greatly prepossesses the mind in favour of them, and takes off
the sense of their evil. Or if they be observed to be commonly
SER. VI. Directions for Self -Eixamination. 337
practised by those who are accounted godly men, men of expe-
rience in religion, this tends greatly to harden the heart, and
blind the mind with respect to any evil practice.
5. Persons are in great danger of living in ways of sin and
not being sensible of it, for want of duly regarding and consi-
dering their duty in the full extent of it. There are some who
hear of the necessity of reforming from all sins, and attending
all duties, and will set themselves to perform some particular
duties, at the same time neglecting others. Perhaps their
thoughts will be wholly taken up about religious duties, such as
prayer in secret, reading the scriptures, and other good books,
going to public worship, and giving diligent attention, keeping
the Sabbath, and serious meditation. They seem to regard
these things, as though they comprised their duty in its full ex-
tent, and as if this were their whole work ; and moral duties
towards their neighbours, their duties in the relations in which
they stand, their duties as husbands or wives, as brethren or
sisters, or their duties as neighbours, seem not to be considered
by them.
They consider not the necessity of those things : and when
they hear of earnestly seeking salvation in a way of diligent at-
tendance on all duties, they seem to leave those out of their
thoughts, as if they were not meant ; nor any other duties,
except reading and praying, and keeping the Sabbath, and the
like. Or, if they do regard some parts of their moral duty, it
may be other branches of it are not considered. Thus, if they
be just in their dealings, yet, perhaps, they neglect deeds of
charity. They know they must not defraud their neighbour 5
they must not lie ; they must not commit uncleanness ; but
seem not to consider what an evil it is to talk against others
lightly, or to take up a reproach against them, or to contend
and quarrel with them, or to live contrary to the rules of the
gospel in their family relations, or not to instruct their children
or servants.
Many men seem to be very conscientious in some things,
in some branches of their duty on which they keep their eye,
whenother important branches are entirely neglected, and seem
not to be noticed by them. They regard not their duty in the
full extent of it,
SECT. in.
What method we ought to take, in order to find out whether xot
do not live in some zoay of sifi.
This, as hath been observed, is a difficult thing to be
known ; but it is not a matter of so much difficulty, but that, if
persons were sufficiently concerned about it^ and strict and
Vol. VI. 13
338 PRACTICAL SERMOWs.
thorough in inquiring and searching, it might, for the mosS
part, be discovered ; men might know whether they Uve in
any way of sin, or not. Persons who are deeply concerned to
please and obey God, need not, under the light we enjoy, go on
in the ways of sin through ignorance.
It is true, that our hearts are exceedingly deceitful ; but
God, in his holy word, hath given that light with respect to our
duty, which is accommodated to the state of darkness in which
we are. So that, by thorough care and inquiry, we may know
our duty, and know whether or no we live in any sinful way.
And every one who hath any true love to God and his duty,
will be glad of assistance in this inquiry. It is with such per-
sons a concern which lies with much weight upon their spirits,
in all things to walk as God would have them» and so as to please
and honour him. If they live in any way which is offensive to
God, they will be glad to know it, and do by no means choose
to have it concealed from them.
All those, also, who, in good earnest, make the inquiry^
What shall I do to be saved ? will be glad to know whether
they do not live in some sinful way of behaviour. For, if they
live in any such way, it is a great disadvantage to them with re-
spect to that great concern. It behoves every one who is seek-
ing salvation, to know and avoid every sinful way in which he
lives. The means by which we must come to the knowledge
of this, are two ; viz. the knowledge of the rule, and the know-
ledge of ourselves.
\si. If we would know whether we do not live in some
way of sin, we should take a great deal of pains to be tho-
roughly acquainted with the rule. — God hath given us a true
and perfect rule by which we ought to walk. And that we
might be able, notwithstanding our darkness, and the disadvan-
tages which attend us, to know our duty ; he hath laid the rule
before us abundantly. What a full and abundant revelation of
the mind of God have we in the scriptures! And how plain is
it in what relates to practice! How often are rules repeated!
In how many various forms are they revealed, that we might
the more fully understand them !
But to what purpose will all this care of God to inform us
be, if we neglect the revelation which God hath made of his
mind, and take no care to become acquainted with it ? It is
impossible that we should know whether we do not live in a way
of sin, unless we know the rule by which we are to walk. The
sinfulness of any way consists in its disagreement from the rule;
and we cannot know whether it agree with the rule or not, un-
less we be acquainted with the rule. Rom. iii. 20. By the law
is the knowledge of sin.
Therefore, lest we go in ways displeasing to God, we ought
with the greatest diligence to study the rules which God hath
sKR. VI. Directions for Self-Exarfim'ation. Ao'Hi
given us. We ought to read and sejirch the Holy Scriptures
much, and do it with the design to know the whole of our duty,
and in order that the word of God may be a lamp unto our
feet and a light unto our paths. Psal. cxix. 105. Everyone
ought to strive to get knowledjie in divine things, and to grow
in such knowledge, to the end that he may know his duty, and
know what God would have him to do.
These things being so, are not the greater part of men very
much to blame in that they take no more pains or care to ac-
quire the knowledge of divine things? in that they no more
study the Holy Scriptures, and other books which might inform
them 1 as if it were the work of ministers only, to take pains to
acquire this knowledge. But why is it so much a minister's
work to strive after knowledge, unless it be, that others may
acquire knowledge by him ? — Will not many be found inexcusa-
ble in the sinful ways m which they live through ignorance and
mistake, because their ignorance is a wilful, allowed ignorance?
They are ignorant of their duty, but it is their own fault they
are so ; they have advantages enough to know, and may know
it if they will : but they take pains to acquire knowledge,
and to be well skilled in their outward affairs, upon which their
temporal interest depends ; but will not take pains to know
their duty.
We ought to take great pains to be well informed, espe-
'cially in those things which immediately concern us, or which
relate to our particular cases.
2rf/y, The other mean is the knoxolcdgc of ourselves, as
subject to the rule. — If we would know whether we do not live
in some way of sin, we should take the utmost care to be well
acquainted with ourselves, as well as with the rule, that we
may be able to compare ourselves with the rule. When we
have found what the rule is, then we should be strict in exa-
mining ourselves, whether or no we be conformed to the rule.
This is the direct way in which our characters are to be disco-
vered. It is one thing wherein man diflers from brute crea-
tures, that he is capable of self-reflection, or of reflecting upon
his own actions, and what passes in his own mind, and consi-
dering the nature and quality of them. And doubtless it was
partly for this end that God gave us this power, which is denied
to other creatures, that we might know ourselves, and consider
our own ways.
We should examine our hearts and ways, until we have
satisfactorily discovered either their agreement or disagree-
ment with the rules of scripture. This is a matter that re-
quires the utmost diligence, lest we overlook our own irregula-
rities, lest some evil way in us should lie hid under disguise,
and pass unobserved. One would think we are under greater
34<!> PRACTICAL SERMONS.
advantages to be acquainted with ourselves, than with anv
thing else ; for we arc always present with ourselves, and have
an immediate consciousness of our own actions ; all that pass-
eth in us, or is done by us, is immediately under our eye. Yet
really in some respects the knowledge of nothing is so difficult
to be obtained, as the knowledge of ourselves. We should
therefore use great diligence in prying into the secrets of our
hearts, and in examining all our ways and pr;ictices. That you
may the more successfully use those means to know whether
you do not live in some way of sin ; be advised,
1. Evermore to join self-reflection with reading and hear-
ing the word of God. When you read or hear, reflect on
yourselves as you go along, comparing yourselves and your own
ways with what you read or hear. Reflect and consider what
agreement or disagreement there is between the word and your
ways. The Scriptures testify against all manner of sin, and
contain directions for every duty ; as the apostle saith, 2 Tim.
iii. 16. And is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc-
tion, for instruction in righteousness. Therefore when you
there read the rules given us by Christ and his apostles, reflect
and consider, each one of you with himself. Do I live ac-
cording to this rule ? Or do 1 live in any respect contrary to it ?
When you read in the historical parts of Scripture an ac-
count of the sins of which others have been guilty, reflect on
yourselves as you go along, and inquire whether you do not in
some degree live in the same or like practices. When you
there read accounts how God reproved the sina of others, and
executed judgments upon them for their sins, examine whether
you be not guilty of things of the same nature. When you
read the examples of Christ, and of the saints recorded in
scripture, inquire whether you do not live in ways contrary to
those examples. When you read there how God commended
and rewarded any persons for their virtues and good deeds, in-
quire whether you perform those duties for which they were
commended and rewarded, or whether you do not live in the
contrary sins or vices. Let me further direct you, particularly
to read the scriptures to these ends, that you may compare and
examine yourselves in the manner now mentioned.
So if you would know whether you do not live in some way
of sin, whenever you hear any sin testified against, or any duty
urged, in the preaching of the word, be careful to look back
upon yourselves, to compare yourselves and your own ways
with what you hear, and strictly examine yourselves, whether
you live in this or the other sinful way which you hear testified
against : and whether you do this duty which you hear urged.
Make use of the word as a glass, wherein you may behold your-
selves.
SER. VI. Directions for Self-Examinatio7i. 341
How (ew are there who do this as they ought to do ! who,
while the minister is testifying against sin, are bus) with them-
selves in examining their own hearts and ways ! The generality
rather think of others, how this or that person lives in a manner
contrary to what is preached; so that there may be hundreds of
things delivered in (he preaching of the word, which properly
belong to them, and are well suited to their rases ; yet it never
so much as conies into their minds, that what is delivered any
way concerns them. Their minds readil} hx upoii others, and
they can charge them, but never think whether or no they them-
selves be the persons.
2. If you live in any ways which are generally condemned
by the better^ and more sober sort of men^ be especially careful
to inquire concerning these, whether they be not ways of sin.
Perhaps you have argued with yourselves, that such or such a
practice is lawful ; you caiuiot see any evil in it. However, if
it be generally condemned by godly ministers, and the better
and more pious sort of people, it certainly looks suspicious,
whether or no there be not some evil in it ; so that you may well
be put upon inquiring with the utmost strictness, whether it be
not sinful. The practice being so generally disapproved of by
those who in such cases are most likely to be in the right, may
reasonably put you upon more than ordinarily nice and diligent
inquiry concerning the lawfulness or unlawfulness of it.
3. Examine yourselves, whether all the ways in which you
live are likely to be pleasant to think of upon a death-bed. Per-
sons often in health allow and plead for those things which they
would not dare to do, if they looked upon themselves as shortly
about to go out of the world. They in a great measure still
their consciences, as to ways in which they walk, and keep them
pretty easy, while death is thought of as at a distance : yet re-
jflections on these same ways are very uncomfortable when they
are going out of the world. Conscience is not so easily blinded
and muffled then as at other times.
Consider therefore, and inquire diligently, whether or no
you do not live in some practice or other, as to the lawfulness
of which, when it shall come into your minds upon your death-
bed, you will choose to have some farther satisfaction, and some
better argument than you now have, to prove that it is not sin-
ful, in order to your beinii; easy about it. Think over your par-
ticular ways, and try yourselves, with the awful expectation of
soon going out of the world into eternity ; and earnestly endea-
vour impartially to judge what ways you will on a death-bed
approve of and rejoice in, and what you will disapprove of, and
wish you had let alone.
4. Be advised to consider what others say of you, and im-
prove it to this end, to know whether you do not live in some
way of sin. Although men are blind to their own faults, yet
.;4-2 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
they easily discover the faults of others, and are apt enough io
speak of them. Sometimes persons live in ways which do not
at all become them, yet are blind to it themselves, not seeing the
deformity of their own wa)S, while it is most plain and evident
to others. They themselves cannot see it, yet others cannot
shut their e)es against it, cannot avoid seeing it.
For instance. Some persons are of a very proud behaviour,
and are not sensible of it ; but it appears notorious to r.'thers.
Some are of a very worldly spirit ; they are set after the world,
so as to be noted for it, so as to have a name for it ; yet they
seem not to be sen-^ibie of it llie.nselves. Soiue are of a very
malicious and envious spirit ; and others see it, and to them it ap-
pears very hateful; yet they themselves do not reflect U[>on it.
Therefore >iiice there is no trusting to our own hearts and our
own eye^ hi such caes, we should makeour improvement of what
others say of us, observe what they cha.ge us with, and what
fault they find with us, and strictly examine whether there be
not foundation for it.
if others charge us with being proud ; or worldly, close,
and niggardly : or spiteful and malicious; or with any other ill
temper or practice ; we should improve it in self-reflection, to
inquire whether it be not so. And though the imputation may
seem to us to be very groundless, and we think that they, in
charging us so and so, are influenced by no good spirit ; yet if we
act prudently, we shall take so much notice of it as to make it
an occasion of examining ourselves.
Thus we should improve what our friends say to us and of
us, when they from friendshiu tell us of any thing which they
observe amiss in us. It is most imprudent, as well as most un-
christian, to take it amiss, and resent it, when we are thus told
of our faults; we should rather rejoice in it, that we are shown
our spots. Thus also we should improve what our enemies say
of us. If they from an ill spirit reproach and revile us to our
faces, we should consider it, so far as to reflect inward upon our-
selves, and inquire whether it be not so, as they charge us. For
though what is said, be said in a reproachful, reviling manner;
yet thcire may be too much truth in it. When men revile others,
even from an ill spirit towards them, yet they are likely to fix
upon real faults ; they are likely to fall upon us where we are
weakest and most defective, and where we have given them most
occasion. An enemy will soonest attack us where we can least
defend ourselves ; and a man that reviles us, though he do it from
an unchristian spirit, and in an unchri-tian manner, yet will be
most likely to speak of that for which we are really most to
blame, and are most blamed by others.
So when we hear of others talking against us behind our
backs, though they do very ill in so doing, yet the right improve-
ment of it will be, to reflect upon ourselves, and consider whe-
SER. VI. Directions for Self-Examination. 343
ther we indeed have not those faults which they lay to our charge.
This will be a more Christian and a more wise improvement of
it, than to be in a rage, to revile ap[ain, and to entcrtaiii an ill
will towards them for their evil-speaking. This is t e most wise
and prudent improvement of such things. Hereby we may get
good out of evil ; and this is the surest waj to defe t the designs
of our enemies in reviling and backbiting us. They do it from
ill will, and to do us an injury ; but in this way we may turn it to
our own good.
5. Be advised, when you see others^ faults, to examine whe-
ther there be not the same in yourselves. This is not done by
many, as is evident from this, that they are so ready to speak of
others' faults and aggravate them, when they have the very same
themselves. Thus, nothing is more common than for proud men
to accuse others of pride, and to declaim against them upon that
account. So it is common for dishonest men to complain of
being wronged by others. When a person seeth ill dispositions
and practices in others, he is not under the same disadvantage
in seeing their odiousness and deformity, as wheti he looks upon
any ill disposition or practice in himself. He can see how odious
these and those things are in others ; he can easily see what a
hateful thing pride is in another; and so of malice, and other
evil dispositions or practices. In others he can easily see their
deformity; for he doth not look through such a deceitful glass,
as when he sees the same things in himself.
Therefore, when you see others' faults ; when you take no-
tice how such an one acts amiss, what an ill spirit he shows, and
how unsuitable his behaviour is; when you hear others speak of
it, and when you yourselves find fault with others in their deal-
ings with you, or in things wherein you are any way concerned
with them ; then reflect, and consider, whether there be nothing
of the same nature in yourselves. Consider that these things
are just as deformed and hateful in you as they are in others.
Pride, a haughty spirit and carriage, areas odious in you as they
are in your neighbour. Your malicious and revengeful spirit
towards your neighbour, is just as hateful as a malicious and re-
vengeful spirit in him towards you. It is as unreasonable for
you to wrong, and to be dishonest with your neighbour, as it is
for him to wrong, and be dishonest with you. It is as injurious
and unchristian for you to talk against others behind their backs,
as it is for others to do the same with respect to you.
6. Consider the ways in which others are blinded as to the
sins in which they live, and strictly inquire whether ^om be not
blinded in the same ways. You are sensible that others are
blinded by their lusts ; consider whether the prevalence of some
carnal appetite or lust of the mind have not blinded you. You
see how others are bhnded by their temporal interest ; inquire
whether your temporal interests do not blind you also in some
344 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
things, so as to make you allow yourselves in things which are
not riiiht. You are as liable to be blinded through inclination
and interest, and have the jsatne deceitful and wicked hearts as
other mei) : Prov. xxvii. 19. jis in zvatcr face anszoereth toface^
so the heart of man to man*
SECT. IV.
Particular subjects of Self-examination — The Lord^s day — -
God''s house,
I desire all those would strictly examine themselves in the
following particulars, who are concerned not to live in any
way of sin, as I hope there are a considerable number of such
now present; and this certainly will be the case with all who
are godly, and all who are duly concerned for their own salva-
tion.
1. Examine yourselves with respect to the Sabbath day,
whether yon do not live in some way of breaking or profaning
God's holy Sabbath. Do you strictly in all things keep this
d.iy, as sacred to God, in governing your thoughts, word*, and
actions, as the word of God requires on this holy day ? Inquire
whether you do not ojily fail in particulars^ but whether you do
not live in some way whereby this day is profaned; and parti-
cularly inquire concerning three things.
(1.) Whether it be not a frequent thing with you to en-
croach upon the Sabbath at its beginning * and after the Sab-
bath is begun, to be out at your work, or following that worldly
business which is proper to be done only in our own time. If
this be a thing in which you allow yourselves, you live in a way
of sin ; for it is a thing which can by no means be justified. — -
You have no more warrant to be out with your team, or to be
cutting wood, or doing any other worldly business, in mediately
after the Sabbath is begun, than you have to do it in the middle
of the day. The time is as holy near the beginning of the
Sabbath as it is in the midd'e ; it is the whole that we are to
rest, and to keep holy, a id devote to God ; we have no licence
to take any part of it to ourselves.
When men often thus encroach upon the Sabbath, it cannot
be from any necessity which can justify them : it can only be
for want of due care, and due regard to holy time They can,
with due care, get their work finished, so that they can leave it
by a certain hour- This is evident, for when they are under a
natural necessity of finishing their work by a certain time, then
* It may be necessary here to inform some readers, that it was the sentiment
of the author, as well as of the country in general where he lived, that the Sab-
bath bfcg;ins with the evening: preceding the day, and is to be celebrated from
rrening to evening, Lev. xxiii. 3?.
SER. vi. Eixaminalion about the. Lordfs day, >Sfc, 345
they do take that care as to have done before that time comes :
As, for instance, when they are aware that at such a time it will
be dark, and they will not be able to follow their work any
longer, bu will be under a natural necessity of leaving off;
why. then, they will and do take care ordinarily to have finished
their work before that time; and this, although the darkness
sometimes begins soojier, and sometimes later.
This shows, that, with due care, men can, ordinarily, have
done their work by a limited time. If proper care will finish
their work by a limited time when they are under a natural
necessity of it, the same care would as well finish it by a cer-
tain time when we are only under a moral necessity. If men
knew that as soon as ever the Sabbath should begin, it would be
perfectly dark, so that they would be under a natural necessity
of leaving ofT their work abroad by that lime, then we should
see that they would generally have their work done before the
time. This shows, that it is only for want of care, and of regard
to the holy command of God, that men so frequently have some
of their work abroad to do after the Sabbath is begun.
Nehemiah took great care that no burden should be bornfi
after the beginning of the Sabbath, Nehem. xiii. 19. And it
came to pass, that wh'n the gates of Jerusalem began to he dark
before the Sabbath, i. e. began to be darkened by the shade of
the mountains before sun-set, / commanded that the gales should
be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the
Sabbath ; and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there
should be no burden brought in on the Sabbath-day ,
(2.) Examine whether it be not your manner to talk on the
Sabbath of things unsuitable for holy time. If you do not move
such talk yourselves, yet when you fall into company that sets
you the example, are you not wont to join in diverting talk, or
in talk of worldly affairs, quite wide from any relation to the
business of the day ? There is as much reason that you should
keep the Sabbath holy with your tongues, as with your hands.
If it be unsuitable for you to employ your hands about common
and worldly things, why is it not as unsuitable for you to employ
your tongues about them ?
(3.) Inquire whether it be not your manner to loiter away
the time of the Sabbath, and to spend it in a great measure ia
idleness, in doing nothing. Do you not spend more time on
Sabbath-day, than on other days, on your beds, or otherwise
idling away the time, not improving it as a precious opportuni-
ty of seeking God, and your own salvation ?
2. Examine yourselves, whether you do not live in some
way of sin, with respect to the institutions of God''s house. Here
1 shall mention several instances.
(1.) Do you not wholly neglect some of those institutions,
as particularly the sacrament of the Lord'' s Supper? Perhaps
Vol. VI. 44
34t) PRACTICAL SERMONS.
j'ou pretend scruples of conscience, that you are not fit to
come to that ordinance, and question whether you be com-
manded to come. But are your scruples the result of a serious
and careful inquiry ? Are they not rather a cloak for your own
negligence, indolence, and thoughtlessness concerning your
duty ? Are you satisfied, have you thoroughly inquired and
looked into this matter ? If not, do you not live in sin, in that
you do not more thoroughly inquire ? Are you excusable in
neglecting a positive institution, when you are scrupulous about
your duty, and yet do not thoroughly inquire what it is ?
But be it so, that you are unprepared ; is not this your
own sin, your own fault 1 and can sin excuse you from attend-
ing on a positive institution of Christ ? When persons are like
to have children to be baptised, they can be convinced that it
is their duty to come. If it be only conscience that detained
them, why doth it not detain them as well now as heretofore ?
or, if they now be more thorough in their inquiries concerning
their duty, ought they not to have been thorough in their in-
quiries before as well as now ?
(2.) Do you not live in sin, in living in the neglect of
singing GocPs praises ? If singing praise to God, be an ordi-
nance of God's public worship, as doubtless it is, then it ought
to be performed by the whole worshipping assembly. If it be a
Command that we should worship God in this way, then all
ought to obey this command, not only by joining with others
in singing, but in singing themselves. For if we suppose it an-
swers the command of God for us only to join in our hearts
with others, it will run us into this absurdity, that all may do
so ; and then there would be none to sing, none for others to
join with.
If it be an appointment of God, that Christian congrega-
tions should sing praises to him, then, doubtless, it is the duty
of all ^ if there be no exception in the rule, then all ought to
comply with it, unless they be incapable of it, or unless it
would be an hinderance to the other work of God's house, as
the case may be with ministers, who, sometimes, may be in
great need of that respite and intermission after public prayers,
to recover their breath and strength, so that they may be fit to
speak the word. But if persons be now not capable, because
they know not how to sing, that doth not excuse them, unless
they have been incapable of learning. As it is the command
of God, that all should sing, so all should make conscience of
learning to sing, as it is a thing which cannot be decently per-
formed at all without learning. Those, therefore, who neglect
to learn to sing, live in sin, as they neglect what is necessary in
order to their attending one of the ordinances of God's worship.
Not only should persons make conscience of learning to sing
themselves, but parents should conscientiously see to it, that
SER. VI. Excnninalion about the LonVs-dai/, ^'c. vir
their children are taught this among other things, as their edu-
cation and instruction belongs to them.
(3.) Are you not guilty of allowing yourselves in sin, in
neglecting to do your part towards the removal of scandals from
among us ? All persons that are in the church, and the child-
ren of the church, are under tlse watch of the church ; and it
is one of those duties to which we are bound by the covenant
which we either actually or virtually make, in uniting ourselves
to a particular church, that we will watch over our brethren,
and do our part to uphold the ordinances of God in their purity.
This is the end of the institution of particular churciies, viz.
the maintaining of the ordinances of divine worship there, in
the manner which God hath appointed.
Examine whether you have not allowed yourselves in sin
with respect to this matter, through fear of offending your
neighbours. Have you not allowedly neglected the proper
steps for removing scandals, when you have seen them ; the
eteps of reproving them privately, where the case would allow
of it, and of telling them to the church, where the case re-
quired it ? Instead of watching over your brother, have you
not rather hid yourselves, that ye might not be witnesses against
him? and when you have seen scandal in him, have you not
avoided the taking of proper steps according to the case ?
(4.) Art not thou one whose manner it is, to come late to
the public worship of God, and especially in winter, when the
weather is cold ? and dost thou not live in sin in so doing ?
Consider whether it be a way which can be justified ; whether
it be a practice which doth honour to God and religion ; whe-
ther it have not the appearance of setting light by the public
worship and ordinances of God's house. Doth it not show,
that thou dost not prize such opportunities, and that thou art
willing to have as little of them as thou canst ? Is it not a
disorderly practice? and if all should do as thou dost, what
confusion would it occasion ?
(5.) Art thou not one whose manner it commonly is to
sleep in the time of public service ? and is not this to live in a
way of sin ? Consider the matter rationally ; is it a thing to be
justified, for thee to lay thyself down to sleep, while thou art
present in the time of divine service, and pretendest to be one of
the worshipping assembly, and to be hearing a message from
God ? Would it not be looked upon as an high affront, an odi-
ous behaviour, if thou shouldst do so in the presence of a king,
while a message was delivering to thee, in his name, by one of
his servants ? Canst thou put a greater contempt on the mes-
sage which the King of kings sendeth to thee, concerning things
of the greatest importance, than from time to time to lay thyself
down, and compose thyself to sleep, while the messenger is de-
livering his message to thee ?
34 8 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
(6.) Art thou not one who is not careful to keep his mind
intent upon what is said and done in public worship ? Dost thou
not, in the midst of the most solemn acts of worship, sutfer thy
thoughts to rove after worldly objects, worldly cares and con-
cerns, or perhaps the objects of thy wicked lusts and desires ?
and dost thou not herein live in a way of sin ?
SECT. Y.
Self-examination concerning secret sins.
I shall now propose to you to examine yourselves, whether
you do not live in some secret sin ; whether you do not hve in
the neglect of some secret duty, or secretly hve in some prac-
tice which is offensive to the pure and all-seeing eye of God.
Here you should examine yourselves concerning all secret du-
ties, as reading, meditation, secret prayer ; whether you attend
those at all, or if you do, whether you do not attend them in an
unsteady and careless manner. You should also examine your-
selves concerning all secret sins. Strictly inquire what your
behaviour is, when you are hid from the eye of the world, when
you are under no other restraints than those of conscience, when
you are not afraid of the eye of man, and have nothing to fear
but the all-seeing eye of God. — Here, among many other things
which might be mentioned, I shall particularly mention two.
(1.) Inquire whether you do not live in the neglect of the
duty of reading the holy scriptures. The holy scriptures were
surely written to be read ; and unless we be Popish in our prin-
ciples, we shall maintain, that they were not only given to be
read by ministers, but by the people too. It doth not answer
the design for which they were given, that we have once read
them, and that we once in a great while read something in them.
They were given to be always with us, to be continually con-
versed with, as a rule of life. As the artificer must always have
his rule with him in his work; and the blind man that walks
must always have his guide by him •, and he that walks in dark-
ness must have his light with him ; so the scriptures were given
to be a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path.
That we may continually use the scriptures as our rule of
life, we should make them our daily companion, and keep them
with us continually ; Josh. i. 8. This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and
night. See also Deut. vi. 6 — 9. So Christ commands us to
search the scriptures, John v. 39. These are the mines wherein
we are to dig for wisdom as for hidden treasures. Inquire, there-
fore, whether you do not live in the neglect of this duty, or ne-
glect it so far, that you may be said to live in a way of sin.
SER. VI. Our temper of mind, i^-c. towards our neighbours, 349
(2.) Inquire whether you do not live in some way of secretly
gratifying some sensual lust. There are many ways and de-
grees, wherein a carnal lust may be indulged ; but every way is
provoking to a holy God. Consider whether, although you re-
strain yourselves from more gross indulgences, you do iiot, in
some way or other and in so-me degree or other, secretly from
time to time gratify your lusts, and allow yourselves to taste the
sweets of unlawful delight.
Persons may greatly provoke God, by only allowedly grati-
fying their lusts in their thoughts and imaginations. They
may also greatly provoke God by excess and intemperance in
gratifying their animal appetites in those things which are in
themselves lawful. Inquire, therefore, whether you do not live
in some sinful way or other, in secretly gratifying a sinful appe-
tite.
SECT. VI.
Self-examination concerning our temper of mind towards our
Neighbours — and our dealings zvith them.
I would propose to you to examine yourselves, whether you
do not live in some way of sin, — 1. In the spirit and temper of
mind which you allow towards your neighbour.
(1.) Do you not allow and indulge a passionate^ furious dis-
position ? If your natural tem )er be hasty and passionate, do
you truly strive against such a temper, and labour to govern
your spirit ? Do you lament it, and watch over yourselves to
prevent it ? or do you allow yourselves in a tiery temper ? Such
a disposition doth not become a Christian^ or a man. It doth
not become a man. because it unmans him ; it turns a man from
a rational creature, to be like a wild beast. When men are un-
der the prevalency of a firious passion, they have not much of
the exercise of reason. We are warned to avoid *cjch men. as
being dangerous creatures, Prov. xxii. 24. 25. Make no friend-
ship with an angry man ; and with a furious man thou shall not
go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
(2.) Do not you live in hatred towards some or other of
your neighbours ? Do you not hate him for real or supposed
injuries that you have received from him ? Do you not hate
him, because he is not friendly towards you, and because you
judge that he hath an ill spirit against you, and hates you, and
because he opposes you, aid doth not show you that res[tect
which you think belongs to you, or doth not show himself for-
ward to promote your interest or honour? Do you not hate
him, because you think he despises you has mean thoughts of
you, and takes occasion to show it ? Do you not hate him, be-
^m*
^
-ioO PRACTICAL SERMONS.
cause he is of the opposite party to that which is in your inte-
rest, and because he has considerable influence in that party.
Doubtless you will be loth to call it by so harsh a name as
hatred; but inquire seriously and impartially, whether it be any
thing better. Do jou feel ill towards him ? Do you not feel a
prevaihng disposition within you to be pleased when you hear
him talked against and run down, and to be glad when you hear
of any dishonour put upon him, or of any disappointments which
happen to him ? Would you not be glad of an opportunit)' to
be jven with him for the injuries which he hath done you?
And wherein doth hatred work but in such ways as these ?
(3.) Inquire whether you do not live in envy towards some
one at least of your neighbours, is not his prosperity, his
riches, or his advancement in honour, uncomfortable to you?
Have you not, therefore, an ill will, or at least less good will to
him, because you look upon him as standing in your way, you
look upon yourself as depressed by his advancement? And
would it not be pleasing to you now, if he should be deprived of
his riches, or of his honours, not from pure respect to the pub-
lic good, but because you reckon he stands in your way ? Is it
not merely from a selfish spirit that you are so uneasy at his
prosperity ?
2. I shall propose to your consideration, whether you do
not live in some way of sin, and wrong in your dealings with
your neighbours.
(1.) Inquire whether you do not from time to time injure
and defraud those with whom you deal. Are your ways with
your neighbour altogether just, such as will bear a trial by the
strict rules of the word of God, or such as you can justify be-
fore God? Are you a faithful person? may your neighbours
depend on your word ? Are you strictly and firmly true to
your trust, or any thing with which you are betrusted, and which
you undertake ? Or do you not by your conduct plainly show
that you are not conscientious in such things?
Do you not live in a careless, sinful neglect oi paying your
debts ? Do you not, to the detriment of your neighbour, sin-
fully withhold that which is not your own, but his? Are you
not wont to oppress your neighbour ? When you see another in
necessity, do you not thence take advantage to screw upon him ?
When you see a person ignorant, and perceive that you have an
opportunity to make your gains of it, are you not wont to take
such an opportunity ? Will you not deceive in buying and sell-
ing, and labour to hWuA the eyes of him of whom you buy, or to
whom you sell, with deceitful words, hiding the faults of what
you sell, and denying the good qualities of what you buy, and not
4^ strictly keeping to the truth, when you see that falsehood will be
an advantage to you in your bargain ?
(2.) Do you not live in some wrong xohich you have formerly
SER. VI. Our Charity^ Sfc, towards our neighbours. 351
done your neighbour, without repairing it ? Are you not con-
scious that you have formerly, at some time or other, wronged
your neighbour, and yet you Hve in it, have never repaired the
injury which you have done him ? If so, you live in a way of sin.
SECT. VII.
Self-examination respecting charity towards our Neighbours, and
conversation with them.
I desire you would examine yourselves, 1. Whether you do
not live in the neglect of the duties of charity towards your neigh-
bour. You may live in sin towards your neighbour, though you
cannot charge yourselves with living in any injustice in your
dealings. Here also I would mention two things.
(1.) Whether you are guilty oi sinfully with-holding from
your neighbour who is in want. Giving to the poor, and giving
liberally and bountifully, is a duty absolutely required of us. It
is not a thing left to persons' choice to do as they please ; nor is
it merely a thing commendable in persons to be liberal to others
in want ; but it is a duty as strictly and absolutely required and
commanded, as any other duty whatsoever; a duty from which
God will not acquit us ; as you may see in Deut. xv. 7, 8, &ic. ;
and the neglect of this duty is very provoking to God. Prov.
xxi. 13. Whoso stoppeth his tars at the cry of the poor, he also
himself shall cry, and not be heard.
Inquire, therefore, whether you have not lived in a way of
sin in this regard. Do you not see your neighbour suflfer, and
pinched with want, and 30U, although sensible of it, harden your
hearts against him- and are careless about it ? Do you not in
such a case neglect to inquire into his necessities, and to do
something for his relief? Is it not your manner to hide your
eyes in such cases, and to be so far from devising liberal things,
and endeavouring to find out the proper objects and occasions of
charity, that you rather contrive to avoid the knowledge of
them ? Are you not apt to make objections to such duties, and
to excuse yourselves? and are you not sorry for such occasions,
on which you are forced to give something, or expose your repu=
tation ? — Are not such things grievous to you ? If these things
be so, surely you live in sin, and in great sin, and have need to
inquire, whether your sport be not such as is not the sport of
God's children ?
(2.) Do you not live in the neglect of reproving your neigh-
bour, when you see him going on in a way of sin ? This is re-
quired of us by the command of God, as a duty of love and
charity which we owe our neighbour: Lev. xix. 17. Thou
shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart ; thoti shalt in any wise
352 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
rebuke thy neighbour^ and not suffer sin upon him. When we
see our neighbour going on in sin, we ought to go, and in a Chris-
tian way deal with him about it. Nor will it excuse u.-,that we
fear it will have no good etfect ; we cannot certainly tell what
effect it will have. This is past doubt, that if Christians gene-
rally performed this duty as they ought to do, it would prevent
abundance of sin and wickedness, and would deliver many a
soul from the ways of death.
If a man going on in the ways of sin, saw that it was gene-
rally disliked and discountenanced, and testified against by others,
it would have a strong tendency to reform him. His regard for
his own reputation would strongly persuade him to reform; for
hereby he would see that the way in which he lives makes him
odious in the eyes of others. When persons go on in sin, and
no one saith any thittg to them in testimony against it, they know
not but that their ways are approved, and are not sensible that
it is much to their dishonour to do as they do. The approba-
tion of others tends to blind men's eyes, and harden their hearts
in sin ; whereas, if they saw that others utterly disapprove of
their ways, it would tend to open their eyes and convince them.
If others neglect their duty in this respect, and our reproof
alone will not be so likely to be effectual ; yet that doth not ex-
cuse us : for if one singly may be excused, then every one may
be excused, and so we shall make it no duty at all.
Persons often need the reproofs and admonitions of others,
to make them sensible that the ways in which we live are sinful ;
for, as hath been already observed, men are often blinded as to
their own sins.
w. 2. FiX;imine yourselves, whether you do not live in some
way of sin in your conversation with your neighbours. Men
commit abundance of sin, not only in the business and dealings
which they have with their neighbours, but in their talk and
converse with them.
(1 ) Inquire whether you do not keep company with per-
sons of a lewd and immoral behaviour, with persons who do not
make conscience of their ways, are not of sober lives, but, on
the contrary, are profane and extravagant, and unclean in their
communication. This is what the word of God forbids, and
testifies against: Prov. xiv. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish
man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge ,•"
Prov. xiii. 20. ^ companion of fools shall be destrcyed. The
Psalmist professes hims If clear of this sin, Psal. xxvi. 4,5. /
have not sat with vain persons; neither will I go with dissem-
blers; I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not
sit with the wicked.
Do vou not live in this sin? D> you not keep company
with such persons ? and have you not found them a snare to
your souls ? If you have any serious thoughts about the great
SER. VI. Our chanty, S;c. towards our neighbours. o53
concerns of your souls, have you not found this a great hin-
derance to you ? Have you not found that it hath been a great
temptation to you ? Have you not been from time to time led
into sin thereby ? Perhaps it may seem difficult wholly to for-
sake your old wicked companions. You are afraid they will
deride you, and make a game of you ; therefore, you have not
courage enough to do it. But whether it be difficult or not,
yet know this, that if you continue in such connexions, you
live in a way of sin, and, as the scripture saith, you shall be
destroyed. Voa must either cut off your right hands, and
pluck out your right eyes, or else even go with them into the
fire that never shall be quenched.
(2) Consider whether, in your conversation with others^
you do not accustom yourselves to evil speaking. How commorS
is it for persons, when they meet together, to sit and spend their
time in talking against others, judging this or that of them,
spreading ill and uncertain reports which they have heard of
them, running down one and another, and ridiculing their in-
firmities ! How much is such sort of talk as this the entertain-
ment of companies, when they meet together ! and what talk
is there which seems to be more entertaining, to which persons
will more listen, and in which they will seem to be more enga-
ged, than such talk ! You cannot but know how common this iso
Therefore, examine whether you be not guilty of this. — =
And can you justify it ? Do you not know it to be a way of
sin, a way which is condemned by many rules in the word of
God ? Are you not guilty of eagerly taking up any ill report
which you hear of your neighbour, seeming to be glad that
you have some news to talk of, with which you think others
will be entertained? Do you not often spread ill reports which
you hear of others, before you know what ground there is for
them ? Do you not take a pleasure in being the reporter of
such news ? Are you not wont to pass a judgment concerning
others, or their behaviour, without talking to them, and hear-
ing what they have to say for themselves ? Doth not that folly
and shame belong to you which is spoken of in Prov. xviii, IS*
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and
shame unto him.
This is utterly an iniquity, a very unchristian practice,
which commonly prevails, that men, when they hear or know
of any ill of others, will not do a Christian part, in going to
talk with them about it, to reprove them for it, but will get be-
hind their backs before they open their mouths, and there are
very forward to speak, and to judge, to the hurt of their neigh-
bour's good name. Consider whether you be not guilty of this.
Consider, also, how apt you are to be displeased when you hear
that others have been talking against you ! how forward are
vou to apply the rules, and to think and tell how they ough^;
VoT... VI. '45
364 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
first to have come and talked with you about it, and not to have
gone and spread an ill report of you, before they knew what
you had to say in your vindication ! How ready are persons to
resent it, when others meddle with their private affairs, and busy
themselves, and judge, and find fault, and declaim against them!
How ready are they to say, it is no business of theirs ! Yet, are
you not guilty of the same ?
(3.) Is it not your manner to seem to countenance dx\Afall
in tuith the talk of the company in which you are, in that which
is evil ? When the company is vain in its talk, and falls into
lewd discourse, or vain jesting, is it not your manner, in such
a case, to comply and fall in with the company, to seem pleased
w^ith its talk, if not to join with it, and help to carry on such
discourse, out of compliance with your company, though indeed
you disapprove of it in your hearts? So inquire, whether it
be not your manner to fall in with your companions, when they
are talking against others. Do you not help forward the dis-
course, or, at least, seem to fall in with their censures, the as-
persions they cast on others, and the reflections they make upon
their neighbours'* characters ?
There are some persons, who, in case of difference between
persons or parties, are double-tongued, will seem to fall in with
both parties. When they are with those on one side, they will
seem to be on their side, and to fall in with them in their talk
against their antagonists. At another time, when they are with
those of the other side, they will seem to comply with them,
and will condemn the other party ; which is a very vile and
deceitful practice. Seeming to be friendly to both before their
faces, they are enemies to both behind their backs ; and that
upon so mean a motive as the pleasing of the party with which
they are in company. They injure both parties, and do what
in them lies to establish the difference between them. Inquire
whether or no this be your manner,
(4.) Is it not your manner, not "to confine yourselves to
strict truth in your conversation with your neighbours? Lying
is accounted ignominious and reproachful among men : and
they take it in high disdain to be called liars ; yet how many
are there that do not so govern their tongues, as strictly to con-
fine them to the truth ! There are various degrees of trans-
gressing in this kind. Some, who may be cautious of trans-
gressing in one degree, may allow themselves in another. Some,
who commonly avoid speaking directly and wholly contrary to
truth, in a plain matter of fact ; yet perhaps are not strictly
true in speaking of their own thoughts, desires, affections,
and designs, and are not exact in the truth, in the relations
which they give of things in conversation ; scruple not to vary
in circumstances, to add some things, to make their story the
more entertaining ; will magnify and enlarge things, to make
SER. VI. Self-examinaiion rcspecling our families. 355
their relation the more wonderful; and in things wherein their
interest or credit is concerned, will make false representations
of things ; will be guilty of an unwarrantable equivocation, and
a guileful way of speaking, wherein they are chargeable with a
great abuse of language. In order to save their veracity, words
and sentences must be wrested to a meaning quite beside their
natural and established signification. Whatever interpretation
such men put on their own words they do not save themselves
from the guilt of lying in the sight of God. Inquire whether
jou be not guilty of living in sin in this particular.
SECT. VIII.
Self-examination respecting the families to zohich xve belong.
Examine yourselves, whether you do not live in some way
C'f sin in the families to zohich you belong. There are many
persons who appear well among their neighbours, and seem to
be of an honest, civil behaviour in their dealings and conver-
sation abroad ; yet if you follow them to their own houses, and
to the families to which they belong, there you will find them
very perverse in their ways ; there they live in ways which arc
very displeasing to the pure all-searching eyes of God. You
have already been directed to examine your conversation abroad ;
you have been directed to search the house of God, and to see if
you have brought no defilement into it ; you have been directed
to search your closets, to see if there be no pollution or provo-
cation there ; be advised now to search your hoicses, examine
your behaviour in the families to which you belong, and sec
what your ways and manners are there.
The houses to which we belong are the places where the
generality of us spend the greater part of our time. If we re-
spect the world as a man's sphere of action, a man's own house
is the greater part of the world to him ; i. e. the greater part of
his actions and behaviour in the world is limited within this
sphere. We should therefore be very critical in examining our
behaviour, not only abroad but at home. A great proportion
of the wickedness of which men are guilty, and that will be
brought out at the day of judgment, will be the sin which they
shall have committed in the families to which they belong.
Therefore inquire how you behave yourselves in the
family relations in which you stand. As those relative duties
which we owe towards the members of the same family belong
to the second table of the law, so love is the general duty which
comprises them all. Therefore,
(1.) Examine yourselves, whether you do not live in some
way which is contrary to that love which is due to those who
35fc) PRACTICAL SKRMONt.
belong to the same family. Love, implying a hearty good will,
and a behaviour agreeable to it, is a duty which we owe to all
mankind. We owe it to our neighbours, to whom we are no
otherwise related than as theyare our neighbours ; yea, we owe
it to those who stand in no relation to us, except that they are
of mankind, are reasonable creatures, the sons and daughters of
Adam. It is a duty that we owe to our enemies ; how much
more then do we owe it to those who stand in so near a
relation to us as a husband or wife, parents or children, brethren
or sisters !
There are the same obligations on us to love such relatives
as to love the rest of mankind. We are to love them as men ;
we are to love them as our neighbours; we are to love them as
belonging to the same Christian church; and not only so, but
here is an additional obligation, arising from that near relation in
which they stand to us. This is over and above the other.
The nearer the relation, the greater is the obligation to love.
To live in hatred, or in a way that is contrary to love, towards
any man, is very displeasing to God ; but how much more to-
wards one of the same family! Love is the uniting band of
all societies; Col. iii. 14. And above all these thmgs, put on
charity^ which is the bond ofperfectness.
The union in love in our own family should be so much
the stronger, as that society is more peculiarly our own, and
is more appropriated to ourselves, or is a society in which we
are more especially interested. Christ saith. Matt. vii. 22.
/ say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother without a
cause, shall be in danger of the judgment ; and whosoever shall
say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council ; and
whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
If this be true concerning those who are our brethren only as
men, or professing Christians, how much more concerning those
who are of the same family? If contention be so evil a thing
in a town among neighbours, how much more hateful is it be-
tween members of the same family ? If hatred, envy, or re-
venge, be so displeasing to God, towards those v\ho are only our
fellow-creatures, how much more provoking must it be between
those that are our natural brothers and sisters, and are one
bone and flesh ? If only being angry with a neighbour without
a cause be so evil, how much sin must needs be committed
in those broils and quarrels between the nearest relations on
earth ?
Let every one inquire how it is with himself. Do you
not in this respect allow yourselves in some way of sin ? Are
you not often jarring and contending with those who dwell
under the same roof? Is not your spirit often ruffled with
anger towards some of the same family ? Do you not often go
so far as to wish evil to them in your hearts, wish that some
sER- VI. Self-Examination respecting our families . 357
calamity would befall them ? Are you not guilty of reproach-
ful language towards them, if not of revengeful acts ? Do you
not neglect and refuse those offices of kiiidiie>is and mutual !ielp-
fulness which become those who are of one family ? Yea, are
there not some who really go so far, as in some degree to en-
tertain a settled hatred or malice ;igainst some of their nearest
relations? — But here I would particularly apply myself,
(1.) To husbands and rvives. Inquire whether you do not
live in some way of sin in this relation. Do you make con-
science of performing all those d(itie> which God in hi«^ word
requires of persons in this relation ? or do you allow yourselves
in some ways which are directly opposite thereto? Do you
not live in ways that are contrary to the obligations into which
you entered in your marriage-covenant? The promises which
you then made are not only binding as promises which are or-
dinarily made between man and man, but they have the nature
of vows or promissory oaths ? they are made in the presence of
God, because they respect him as a witness to them ; and there-
fore the marriage covenant is called the covenant of God; Prov.
iii. 17. which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth
the covenant of her God. When you have vowed that you will
behave towards those to whom you are thus united, as the
word of God directs in such a relation, are you careless about
it, no more thiidiiug what you have promised and vowed, re-
gardless how you perform those vows ?
Particularly, are you not commonly guilty of bitterness of
spirit towards one another, and of unkindness in your language
and behaviour? If wrath, and contention, and unkind and re-
proachful language, be provoking to God, when only between
neighbours ; what is it thesi between those whom God hath
joined together to be one flesh, and between whom he hath
commanded so great and dear a friendship to be maintained?
Eph. v. 28, 29. So ought men to love their wives, as their own
bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself. For no m.an
ever yet hated his own jiesh ; hutnourishelhandcherisheth it, even
as the Lord the church. Eph. v. 25. Husbands love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself
for it.
It is no excuse at all for either party to indilge bitterness
and contention in this relation, that the other party is to blame ;
for when was there ever one of fallen mankind to be found who
had no faults ? When God commanded such an entire friend-
ship between man and wife, he knew that the greater part of
mankind would have faults; yet he made no exce[)tion. And
if you think your yoke-fellows have faults, yon should consider
whether you yourselves h ive not some too There never will
be any such thing as persons living in peace one with another,
in this relation, if this be esteemed a sufficient and justifiable
358 PRACTICAL SEKMOXS.
cause of the contrary. It becomes good friends to cover one
another's faults : Love covers a multitude of faults : Prov. x. 1 ,
Hatred slirreth up strife; but love covcreth all sins.'''' But are
not you rather quick to spy fauhs, and ready to make the most
of them. Are not very little things often the occasion of con-
tention between you? Will not a little thing often ruffle your
spirits towards your companions? and when any misunder-
standing is begun, are you not guilty of exasperating one ano-
ther's spirits by unkind language, until you blow up a spark into
a flame ?
Do you endeavour to accommodate yourselves to each
other's tempers ? Do you study to suit each other ? or do you
set up your own wills, to have your own ways, in opposition to
each other, in the management of your family-concerns ? Do
you make it your study to render each other's lives comforta-
ble ? or is there not, on the contrary, very often subsisting
between you a spirit of ill will, a disposition to vex and cross
one another ?
Husbands do sometimes greatly sin against God, in being
of an unkind imperious behaviour towards their wives, treating
them as if they were servants ; (and to mention one instance of
such treatment in particular) laying them under unjust and
unreasonable restraints in the use and disposal of their common
property ; forbidding them so much as to dispose of any thing
in charity, as of their own judgment and prudence. This is
directly contrary to the word of God, where it is said of the
Yirtnous wife, Prov, xxxi. 20, that she stretcheth out her hand
to the poor ; yea. she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. If
God hath made this her duty, then he halh given her this right
and power, because the duty supposes the right. It cannot be
the duty of her who hath no right to dispose of any thii-g, to
stretch forth her hand to the poor, and to reach forth her hands
to the needy.
On the other hand, are not the commands of God the rules
of his word, and the solemn vows of the marriage-covenant
with respect to the subordination which there ought to be in
this relation, made light of by mamy ? Eph. v. 22. Wives submit
yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord ; So Col. iii.
18. What is commanded by God, and what hath been solemnly
vowed and sworn in his presence, certainly ought not to be
made a jest of; and the person who lightly violates these obli-
gations, will doubtless be treated as one who slights the authority
of God, and takes his name in vain.
(2.) I shall apply myse\f io parents and heads of families.
Inquire whether you do not live in some way of sin with respect
to your children, or others committed to your care ; and parti-
cularly to inquire.
oEB. VI. Self-examination respecting our families, 359
1. Whether you do not live in sin, by living in the neglect
of instructing them. Do you not wholly neglect the duty of
instructing your children and servants ? or if ^ ou do not wholly
neglect it, yet do you not atiord them so little instructioii, and
are you not so unsteady, and do you not take so little pains in
it, that you live in a sinful neglect? Do you take pains in any
measure proportionate to the importance of the matter ? You
cannot but own that it is a matter of vast importance, that your
children be fitted for death, and saved from hell ; and that all
possible care be taken that it be done speedily ; for you know
not how soon your children may die. Are you as careful about
the welfare of their souls as you are of their bodies ? Do you
labour as much that they may have eternal life, as you do to
provide estates for them to live on in this world ?
Let every parent inquire, whether he do not live in a way
of sin in this respect : and let masters inquire, whether they do
not live in a way of sin, in neglecting the poor souls of their
servants ; whether their only care be not to make their servants
subservient to their worldly interest, without any concern what
becomes of them to all eternity.
2. Do you not live in a sinful neglect of the government
of your families ? Do you not live in the sin of Eli ? who in-
deed counselled and reproved his children, but did not exercise
government over them. He reproved them very solemnly, as
1 Sam. ii. 23, 24, 25. ; but he did not restrain them ; by which
he greatly provoked God, and brought an everlasting curse
upon his house; I Sam. iii. 12. In that day I will perfo7'm
against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house.
When I begin, 1 zvill also make an end. I roill judge his house
for ever ^ because his sons made themselves vile, and he re-
strained them not.
If you say you cannot restrain your children, this is no
excuse ; for it is a sign that you have brought up your children
without government, that your children regard not your autho-
rity. When parents lose their government over their children,
their reproofs and counsel signify but little. How many parents
are there who are exceedingly faulty on this account ! Hovr
{&vr are there who are thorough in maintaining order and
government in their families ! How is family government in a
great measure vanished ! and how many are likely to bring a
curse upon their families, as Eli ! This is one principal ground
of the corruptions which prevail in the land. This is the foun-
dation of so much debauchery, and of such corrupt practices
among young people : family-government is in a great measure
extinct. By neglect in this particular, parents bring the guilt
of their children's sins upon their own souls, and the blood of
their children will be required at their hands.
360
PKACTICAL SERMONS.
Parents sometimes weaken one another's hands in this
work; one parent disapproving what the other doth; one
smilitjg upon a child, while the other frowns; one protecting,
while the other corrects. When things in a family are thus,
children are like to be undone. Therefore let every one ex-
amine whethei he do not live in some way of sin with respect
to this matter.
(3.) I shall now apply myself to children. Let them exa-
mine themselves, whether they do not live in some way of sin
towards their parents. Are you not guilty of some undutiful-
ness towards them, in which you allow yourselves? Are you
not guilty of despising your parents for infirmities which you
see in them ? Undutiful children are ready to contemn their
parents for their infirmities. Are not you sons of Ham, who
saw and made derision of his father's nakedness, whereby he
entailed a curse on himself, and his posterity to this day ; and
not the sons of Shem and Japheth, who covered the nakedness
of their father ? Are you not guilty of dishonouring and de-
spising your parents for natural infirmities, or those of old age?
Prov. xxiii. 22. Despise not thy mother when she is old. Doth
not that curse belong to you, in Dent, xxvii. 16. Cursed be he
that setteih light by his father or his mother ?
Are you not wont to de^pise the counsels and reproofs of
your parents ? When they warn you against any sin, and re-
prove you for any misconduct, are you not wont to set light by
it, and to be impatient under it ? Do you honour your parents
for it ? On the contrary, do you not receive it with resentment,
proudly rejecting it? Doth it not stir up corruption, and a
stubborn and perverse spirit in you, and rather make you to
have an ill-will to your parents, than to love and honour them?
Are you not to be reckoned among the fools mentioned, Pror.
XV. 5. A fool despiseth his father'' s instruction ? and doth not
that curse belong to you ? Prov. xxx. 17. The eye that mocketh
at his fa'her. and despiseth to obey his mother^ the ravens of the
valley shall pick it out. and the young eagles shall eat it ?
Do you not allow a fretful disposition towards your pa-
rents, when they cross you in any thing? Are you not apt to
find fault with your parents, and to be out of temper with them ?
Consider, that if you live in such ways as these, you not
only live in sin, but in that sin, than which there is scarcely any
one oftener threatened with a curse in the word of God.
SER. VI. Awakening Considerations i 361
SECT. IX.
Awakening considerations for self-examination.
We come now to mention some things, in order to con-
vince those who, upon examination, find that they do hve in
some way of sm, of the importance of their knowing and
amending their manner of life. You have had directions laid
before you, how to find out whether you do live in any way of
sin or not ; and you h ive heard many particulars mentioned as
proper subjects for your examination of yourselves. How, then,-
do you find things ? Do you find yourselves clear of living irt
any way of sin ? I mean not whether you find yourself clear
of sin; that is not expected of any of you: for there is not i
man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not; 1 Kings,-
viii. 46. But is there not some way of sin in which you live,
which is your stated way of practice ? There are, doubtless,
some, who are clear in this matter, some v^ho art undefled in
the way^ and do no iniquity j Psal. cxix. 1, 2, 3.
Let your own consciences answer how you find with re-
spect to yourselves, by those things which have been proposed
to you. Do you not find that you are guilty? that you live in
a way of sin, and have allowed yourselves in it? — If this be
the case, then consider the following things.
If you have been long seeking salvation^ and have not yet
succeeded, it may be this hath been the cause. You have,-
perhaps, wondered what hath been the matter, that you have
been so long a time under concern about your salvation, that
you have taken so much pains, and all seems to be to no pur-
pose. You have many a time cried earnestly to God, yet he
doth not regard you. Others obtain comfort, but you are left
in darkness. But is it any wonder at all, if you have lived in
some way of sin all this while ? If you have lived in any sin-
ful way, this is a sufficient reason why all your prayers and all
your pains have been blasted.
If, all this while, you have lived in some sinful way. so far
you have failed of seeking salvation in the right way. The
right way of seeking salvation is, to seek it in the diligent per-
formance of all duties, and in the denial of all ungodliness.
If there be any one men:^ber that is corrupt, and you cut it not
off, there is danger that it will carry you to hell, (Matt. v.
29, 30.)
2. If grace have not been flourishing, but, on the contrary,
in languishing circumstances in your souls, perhaps this is the
cause. The way to grow in grace, is to walk in the way of
obedience to all the commands of God, to be very thorough in
the practice of religion, Grace will flourish in the hearts of
Vor.. VI 1^
362 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
those who hve in this manner ; but if you hve in some way of
sin, that will be like some secret disease at your vitals, which
will keep you poor, weak, and languishing.
One way of sin lived in will wonderfully keep you down
in your spiritual prosperity, and in the growth and strength of
grace in your hearts. It will gi-ieve the Holy Spirit of God, and
will in a great measure banish him from you : this will prevent
the good influence of the word and ordinances of God to the
causing of grace to flourish in you. It will be a great obstacle
to their good effect. It will be like an ulcer within a man,
which while it remains, will keep him weak and lean, though
you feed him with ever so wholesome food, or feast him ever
so daintily.
3. If you have been left to fall mto great sm, perhaps (his
was the occasion of it. If you have been left greatly to wound
your own souls, perhaps this was what made way for it, that
you allowed yourselves in some way of sin. A man who doth
not avoid every sin, and is not universally obedient, cannot be
well guarded against great sins. The sin in which he lives will
he always an inlet, an open door, by which Satan from time to
time will find entrance. It is like a breach in your fortress,
through which the enemy may get in, and find his way to you
greatly to hurt and wound you.
If there be any way of sin which is retained as an outlet to
corruption, it will be like a breach in a dam, which, if it be let
alone, and be not stopped will grow bigger and wider, and will
endanger the whole. If any way of sin be lived in, it will be
like Gideon's Ephod, which was a snare to him and his house.
4. If you live very much in spiritual darkness, and with-
out the comfortable presence of God, it may be this is the cause.
If you complain that you have but little sweet communion with
God, that you seem to be left and deserted of God, that God
seems to hide his face from you, and but seldom gives you the
sweet views of his glory and grace, that you seem to be left
very much to grope in darkness, and to wander in a wilderness ;
perhaps you have wondered what is the matter ; you have cried
to God often, that you might have the light of his countenance,
but heareth you not ; and you have sorrowful days and nights
upon this account. But if you have found, by what hath been
said, that you live in some way of sin, it is very probable that
is the cause, that is the root of your mischief, that is the Achan,
the troubler that offends God, and causes him to withdraw, and
brings so many clouds of darkness upon your souls. You grieve
the Holy Spirit by the way in which you live : and that is the
reason that you have no more comfort from him.
Christ hath promised, <hat he will manifest himself to his
disciples ; but it is upon the condition, that they keep his com-
mands: John xiv. 21. He, that hath my commandments, and
r
SER. vu .izvakening Considerations. 363
kcepeth them, he it is that lovcth mc ; and he thai lovcth mc shall
be loved of nir/ father ; and I will love him, and will manifest
myself to him. But if you habitually live in disobedience to any
of the commaiid-nents of Christ, then it is no wonder that he doth
not give you the comfortable manifestations of himself. The
way to receive the special favours of God, and to enjoy com-
fortable communion with him, is to walk closely with him.
5. If you have been long doubting about your condition,
perhaps this is the cause. If persons be converted, the most
likely way to have the evidences of it clear, and to have the
Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits, that we are the chil-
dren of God, is to walk closely with God. This, as we have
observed already, is the way to have grace in a flourishing state
in the soul ; it is the way to have the habits of grace strength-
ened, and the exercises of it lively. And the more lively the
exercises of grace are the more likely will they be to be seen.
Besides this is the way to have God manifesting himself to us,
as our father and our friend, to have the manifestations and in-
ward testimonies of his love and favour.
But if you live in some way of sin, it is no wonder if that
greatly darkens your evidences, as it keeps down the exercises
of grace, and hides the light of God's countenance. And it may
he that you never will come to a comfortable resolution of that
point, whether you be converted or not, until you shall have
wholly forsaken the way of sin in which you live.
6. If you have met with the frowns of Providence, perhaps
this hath been the cause. When you have met with very sore
rebukes and chastisements, that way of sin hath probably been
your troubler. Sometimes God is exceedingly awful in his deal-
ings with his own people in this world, for their sins. Moses
and Aaron were not suffered to enter into Canaan, because they
believed not God, and spake unadvisedly with their lips, at the
waters of Meribah. And how terrible was God in his dealings
with David ! what affliction in his family did he send upon him !
one of his sons ravishing his sister; another murdering his bro-
ther, and having expelled his father out of his kingdom, openly
in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun, defiling his
father's concubines on the top of the house, and at last coming
to a miserable end ? Immediately after this followed the rebel-
lion of Sheba ; and he had this uncomfortable circumstance at-
tending the end of his life, that he saw another of his sons usur-
ping the crown.
How awfully did God deal with Eli, for living in the sin of
not restraining his children from wickedness ! He killed his two
sons in oue day ; brought a violent death upon Eli himself; took
the ark from him, and sent it into captivity ; cursed his house
for ever; and sware that the iniquity of his house should not be
purged with sacrifice and offering for ever : that the priesthood
3b4 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
should be taken from him, and given to another family ; and that
there should never be an old man in his family.
Is not some way of sin in which you live the occasion of
(he frowns and rebukes of Providence which you have met with ?
True, it is not the proper business of your neighbours to judge
you with respect to events of Providence ; but you yourselves
ought to inquire, wherefore God is contending with you, Job.
ix. 10.
7. ]( death be terrible to you, perhaps this is the foundation
of it. When you think of dying, you find you shrink back at
the thought. When you have any illness, or when there is any
thing which seems any way to threaten life, you find you are
affrighted by it; the thoughts of dying, and going into eternity,
are awful to you ; and that although you entertain a hope that
you are converted. If you live in some way of sin, probably
this is very much the foundation of it. This keeps your minds
sensual and worldly, and hinders a lively sense of heaven and
heavenly enjoyments. This keeps grace low, and prevents that
relish of heavenly enjoyments which otherwise you would have.
This prevents your having the comfortable sense of the divine
favour and presence ; and without that, no wonder you cannot
look death in the face without terror.
The way to have the prospect of death comfortable, and
to have undisturbed peace and quiet when we encounter death,
is, to walk closely with God, and to be undefiled in the way of
obedience to the commands of God ; and that it is otherwise
sometimes with truly godly persons, is doubtless frequently owing
to their living in ways displeasing to God.
8. If you find by these things which have been proposed to
you, that you have lived in a way of sin, consider that if you
henceforward live in the same way, you will five in known sin.
Whether in time past, it have been known sin or not, though )0U
may have hitherto lived in it through ignorance or inadvertence ;
yet if now you be sensible of it, henceforward, if you continue
in it still, it will not be a sin odgnorance, but you will be proved
to be of that class of men who live in ways of known sin.
A WARNING TO PROFESSORS OF RELIGIO N : OR THE
GREAT GUILT OF THOSE WHO ATTEND ON THK ORDI-
NANCES OF DIVINE WORSHIP, AND YET ALLOW THEM-
SELVES IN ANY KNOWN WICKEDNESS.
EzEK. xxiii. 37, 38, 39.
That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands ;
.^nd with their idols have they committed adultery, and have
also caused their sons whom they bare unto me, to pass for
them through the fire to devour them. Moreover, this they have
done unto me : they htve defiled my sanctuary in the same day,
and have profaned my Sabbxiths. For zohen they had slain their
children to their idols, then they came the same day into my
sanctuary to profane it ; and, lo ! thus have they done in the
midst of mine house.
INTRODUCTION.
Samaria and Jerusalem, or Israel and Judah, are here re-
presented b^ two women, Aholah and Aholibah ; and their idola-
try and treachery towards their covenant God is represented by
the adulter}- of these women. They forsook God, who was
their husband, and the guide of their youth, and prostituted
themselves to others. The baseness of Aholah and Aholibah
towards God, their husband, is here pointed out by two things,
viz. adultery and bloodshed : They have committed adultery,
and blood is in their hands.
1. They committed adultery with other lovers, viz. with
their idols : With their idols have they committed adultery.
2. They not only committed adultery, but they took their
children, that they bore lo God, and killed them for their lovers.
Their hearts were quite alienated from God, their hus^band, and
* This Tract is the substance of two posthumous discourses on this text,
first printed at Edinb,, 1788.
36G JfRACTlCAL SERMUXS.
they were so bewitched with lust after those other lovers, that
thej took their own children, whom they had by their husband, and
put them to cruel deaths, to make a feast with them for their
lovers ; as it is said in ver. 37. " And have also caused my
sons whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the
fire to devour them.''
But here is a twofold wickedness of those actions of theirs
held forth to us in the words. (1.) Tiie wickedness of them
considered in themselves; for who can express the horrid base-
ness of this their treatment of God, their husband ? (2.) An ad-
ditional wickedness, resulting from the joining of these actions
with sacred things. Beside the monstrous wickedness of these
actions in themselves considered, there was this which exceed-
ingly increased the guilt, that on the same day they came into
God's sanctuary, or that they lived in such wickedness at the
same time that they came ar>d attended the holy ordinances of
God's house, pretending to worship and adore him, whom they
all the while treated in such a horrid manner ; and so herein
defiled and profaned holy things ; as in verses 38 and 39.
" Moreover, this have they done unto me ; they have defiled
my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my Sabbaths.
For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they
came the same day into my sanctuary, to profane it ; and, lo !
thus have they done in the midst of mine house."
Doctrine. — When they that attend ordinances of divine
worship allow themselves in known wickedness, they are guilty
of dreadfully profaning and polluting those ordinances.
By a divine ordinance, when the expression is used in its
greatest latitude, is meant any thing of divine institution or ap-
pointment. Thus we call marriage a divine ordinance, because
it was appointed by God. So civil government is called an
ordinance of God : Rom. xiii. 1,2.'' Let every soul be subject
to the higher powers ; for there is no power but of God ; the
powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore,
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God.''
But the word is more commonly used only for an instituted
or appointed way or mean of worship. So the sacraments are
ordinances; so public prayer, singing of praise, the preaching
of the word, and the hearing of the word preached, are divine
ordinances. The setting apart of certain officers in the church,
the appointed ways of discipline, public confession of scandals,
admonition, and e communication, are ordinances. These are
called the ordinances of God'^s house, or of public worship ; and
these are intended in the doctrine ; it is the profanatio' of
these ordinances that is spoken of in the text : " They came
into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo! thus have they done in
SER. VI. The Ordinances of God are holy. 367
the midst of mine house," saith God. This doctrine seems to
contain two propositions.
SECT. 1.
The Ordinances of God are holy.
Divine ordinances are holy in the following respects :
1. They are conversant wholly and innmediately about
God, and things divine. When we are in the attendance on
the ordinances of divine worship, we are in the special presence
of God. When persons come and attend on the ordina ces of
God, they are said to come before God, and to come into his
presence : Jer. vii. 10. Come and stand before me, in this house
zohich is called by my name ; Psat. c. 2. Come into his presence with
singing.
In divine ordinances, persons have immediate intercourse
with God, either in applying to him, as in prayer and singing
praises, or in receiving from him, waiting solemnly and imme-
diately on him for spiritual good, as in hearing the word ; or in
both applying to God and receiving from him, as in the sacra-
ments. They were appointed on purpose that in them men
might converse and hold communion with God. We are poor,
ignorant, blind worms of the dust ; atid God did not see it meet
that our way of intercourse with God should be left to ourselves ;
but God hath given us his ordinances, as ways and means of
conversing with him.
In these ordinances, holy and divine things are exhibited
and represented. In the preaching of the word, holy doctrines
and the divine will are exhibited ; in the sacraments, Christ
Jesus and his benefits are represented ; in prayer and praise,
and in the attendance on the word and sacraments, are repre-
sented our faith, love and obedience.
2. The end of God's ordinances is holy. The immediate
end is to glorify God. They are instituted to direct us in the
holy exercises of faith and love, divine fear and reverence, sub-
mission, thankfulness, holy joy and sorrow, holy desires, resolu-
tions, and hopes. True worship consists in these holy and spi-
ritual exercises ; and as these divine ordinances are the ordi-
nances of worship, they are to help us, and to direct us in such
a worship as this.
3. They have the sanction of divine authority. They are
not only conversant about a divme and holy object, and designed
to direct and help us in divine and holy exercises, but they
have a divine and holy author. The infinitely great and holy
God hath appointed them, the eternal Three in One. Each
person in the Trinity hath been concerned in their institution.
368 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
God the F'^ther hath appointed them, and that by his own Sou.
They are of Christ's own appointment; and he appointed, as
he had received of the Father: John xii. 49. " / have not
spoken of myself^ but the Father which sent me, he gave me com,'
m,andinent what I s'lould saif and what I should speak.''^ And
the F ither and Son more fully revealed and ratified them by
the Spirit; and they are committed to writing by the inspira-
tion of the Holy Spirit.
They are holy, in that God hath hallowed them, or conse-
crated them. They are conversant about holy things ; and God
ordained them, that in them zoe might be conversant about holy
thirjgs. They are for a holy use ; and it is God who, by his own
immediate authority, ordained them for that holy use ; which
renders them much more sacred than otherwise they would
have been.
4. They are attended in the name of God. Thus we are
commanded to do all that we do, in word or deed, in the name
of Christ, Col. iii. 17. : which is to be understood especially of
our attendance on ordinances. Ordinances are administered in
the name of God. When the word is preached by authorized
ministers, they spealt in God's name, as Christ's ambassadors,
as co-workers together with Christ : 2 Cor. v. 20. J^ow are we
ambassadors for Christ; chap. vi. 1. fVe are workers together
with him. When a true minister preaches, he speaks as the
oracles of God, 1 Pet. iv. 1 1 ; and he is to be heard as one re-
presenting Christ.
So in administering the sacraments, the minister represents
the person of Christ ; he baptises in his name, and in the Lord's
Supjier stands in his stead. In administering church censures,
he still acts, as the apostle expresses it, in the person of Christ,
2 Cor. ii. 10. On the other hand, the congregation, in their
addresses to God in ordniances, as prayer and praise, act in the
name of Christ, the Mediator, as having him to represent them,
and as coming to God by him.
SECT. II.
God^a Ordinances are dreadfully profaned by those who attend
on them, and yet allow themselves in ways of wickedness.
Persons who come to the house of God, into the holy pre-
sence of God, attending the duties and ordinances of his public
worship, pretending with others, according to divine institution,
to call on the name of God, to praise him, to hear his word,
and commemorate Christ's death, and who yet, at the same
time, are wittingly and allowedly gomg on in wicked courses,
or in any practice contrary to the plain rules of the word of
SER. VII. Ordinances, by whom profaned. 369
God, therein greatly profane the holy worship of God, defile
the temple of God, and those sacred ordinances on which they
attend. The truth of this proposition appears by the following
considerations.
1. By attending ordinances, and yet living in allowed
wickedness, they show great irreverence and contempt of those
holy ordinances. When persons who have been committing
known wickedness, and yet live in it, and have no other design
than to go on still in the same, when they come from their
wickedness, as it were the same day, as it is expressed in the
text, and attend the sacred, solemn worship and ordinances of
God, and then go from the house of God directly to the like
allowed wickedness — they hereby express a most irreverent
spirit with respect to holy things, and in a horrid manner cast
contempt upon God's sacred institutions, and on those holy
things which we are concerned with in them.
They show that they have no reverence of that God vvho
hath allowed these ordinances. They show a contempt of that
divine authority which instituted them. They show a horribly
irreverent spirit towards that God into whose presence they
come, and with whom they imm ;diately have to do in ordinan-
ces, and in whose name these ordinances are performed and at-
tended. They show a contempt of that adoration of God, of
that faith and love, and that humiliation, submission, and praise,
which ordinances were instituted to express. What an irreve-
rent spirit doth it show, that they are so careless after what
manner they come before God ! that they take no care to cleanse
and purify themselves, in order that they may be fit to come
before God ! yea, that they take no care to avoid making them-
selves more and more unclean and filthy.
They have been taught, many a time, that God is of purer
eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity, and how
exceedingly he is offended with sin ; yet they care not how un-
clean and abominable they come into his presence, it shows
horrid irreverence and contempt, that they are so bold, that
they are not afraid to come into the presence of God in such a
maimer; and that they will presume to go out of the presence
of God, and from an attendance upon holy things, again to their
sinful practices. If they had any reverence of God, and holy
things, an approach into his presence, and an attendance on
those holy things, would leave that awe upon their minds, that
they would not dare to go immediately from them to their ways
of known wickedness.
It would show a great irreverence in any person towards a
king, if he should not care how he came into his presence, and
if he should come in a sordid habit, and in a very indecent
manner. How much more horrid irreverence doth it show, for
persons willingly, and allowedly to defile themselves with that
Vol. VI. 47
370 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
filth which God infinitely hates, and so frequently to come into
the presence of God !
2. By nnakin^ a show of respect to God in ordinances, and
then acting the contrary in their lives, they do but mock God.
In attending ordinances, they make a show of respect to God.
By joining in prayer, in public adorations, confessions, petitions,
and thanksgivings, they make a show of high thoughts of God,
and of humbling themselves before him ; of sorrow for their
sins ; of thankfulness for mercies, and of a desire of grace and
assistance to obey and serve God. By attending upon the
hearing of the word, they make a show of a teachable spirit,
and of a readiness to practise according to the instructions
given. By attending on the sacraments, they make a show of
faith in Christ, of choosing him for their portion, and of spirit-
ually feeding upon him.
But, by their actions, they all the while declare the con-
trary. They declare that they have no high esteem of God,
but that they despise him in their hearts. They declare, that
they are so far from repenting of, that they intend to continue
in their sins. They declare, that they have no desire of that
grace and assistance to live in a holy manner for which they
prayed, and that they had rather live wickedly : this is what
they choose, and. for the present, are resolved upon. They
declare, by their actions, that there is no truth in what they
pretend in hearing the word preached ; that they had a desire
to know what the will of God is, that they might be directed in
their duty ; for they declare by their actions, that they desire
not to do the will of God, and that they do not intend any such
thing; but intend, on the contrary, to disobey him; and that
they prefer their carnal interests before his authority and glory.
They declare by their actions, that there is no truth in
what they pretetid in their attendance on the sacraments, that
they desire to be fed with spiritual nourishment, and to be con-
formed and assimilated to Christ, and to have communion with
him. They show by their [)ractices, that they have no regard
to Christ ; and that they had rather have their lusts gratified,
than to be fed with his spiritual food : They show, that they
desire not any assimilation to Christ, but to be different from
him, and of an opposite character to him : They show, that
instead of desiring communion with Christ, they are his re-
solved and allowed enemies, wilfully acting the part of enemies
to Christ, dishonouring him, and promoting the interest of Satan
against him.
Now, what can this be else but mockery, to make a show of
great respect, reverence, love, and obedience, and at the same
time wilfully to declare the reverse in actions. U a rebel or
traitor should send addresses to his king, making a show of great
loyalty and fidelity, and should all the while openly, and in the
-SER. vii. Ordinances, hi/ 7vhom profaned. 371
king's sight, carry on designs of dethroning him, how could his
addresses be considered as any other than mockery ? If a man
should bow and kneel before his superior, and use many respect-
ful terms to him, but at the same time should strike him, or
spit in his face, would his bowing and his respectful terms be
looked upon in any other light than as done in mockery ? When
the Jews kneeled before Christ, and said, Hail, King of the
Jews, but at the same time spit in his face, and smote him upon
the head with a reed ; could their kneeling and salutations be
considered as any other than mockery?
Men who attend ordinances, and yet willingly live in wick-
ed practices, treat Christ in the same manner that these Jews
did. They come to public worship, and pretend to pray to
him, to sing his praises, to sit and hear his word; they come to
the sacrament, pretending to commemorate his death. Thus
tlicy kneel before him, and say, Hail. King of the Jews ; yet at
the same time they live in ways of wickedness, which they
know Christ hath forbidden, of which he hath declared the
greatest hatred, and which are exceedingly to his dishonour.
Thus they buffet him, and spit in his face. They do as Judas
did, who came to Christ saying. Hail, Master, and kissed him j
at the same time betraying him into the hands of those who
sought his life.
How can it be interpreted in any other light, when men
come to public worship, and attend ordinances, and yet will be
drunkards and profane swearers, will live in lasciviousness, in-
justice, or some other known wickedness ? If a man should
pray to God to keep him from drunkenness, and at the same
time should put the bottle to his own mouth, and drink himself
drunk ; the absurdity and horrid wickedness of his conduct
would be manifest to every man. But the very same thing
though not so visible to us, is done by those who make profes-
sion of great respect to God, and pray God from time to time to
keep them from sin ; yet at the same time have no design to
forsake their known sins, but intend the contrary.
God sees men's designs and resolutions more plainly than
we can see their outward actions; therefore for a man to pray
to God to be kept from sin, and at the same time to intend to
sin, is mockery as visible to God as if he prayed to be kept from
some particular sin, which he was at the same time willingly and
allowedly committing.
These persons are guilty of a horrid profanation of God's
ordinances ; for they make them occasions of a greater affront
to God, the occasions of showing their impudence and presump-
tion ; for he who lives in wilful wickedness, and doth not enjoy
the ordinances of God, is not guilty of so great presumption, as
he who attends these ordinances, and yet allows himself in
wickedness. This latter acts as though he came into the
37:2 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
presence ol' God on purpose to affront him. He comes from
time to time to hear the will of God, and all the while designs
disobedience, and goes away and acts directly contrary to it. -
A servant would affront his master by wilfully disobeying
his commands in any wise. But he would affront him much
more, if he should on every occasion come to him to inquire
his will, as though he were ready to do whatever his master
would have him do, and then should immediately go away and
do the contrary.
3. They put the ordinances of God to a profane use. The
ordinances of God are holy, as they are set apart of God to an
holy use and purpose. They are the worship of God, in?tituted
for the ends of giving honour and glory to him, and to be means
of grace and spiritual good to us. But those persons who at-
tend these ordinances, and yet live in allowed wickedness, aim
at neither of these ends : they, in their attendance on ordinances
neither aim to give honour to God, or to express any love, or es-
teem, or thankfulness; nor do they sincerely seek the good of
their own souls. It is not truly the aim of any such persons
to obtain grace, or to be made holy ; their actions plainly show
that this is not their desire; they choose to be wicked, and in-
tend it.
It is not therefore to these purposes that they improve the
holy ordinances of God ; but they put them to another and
profane use. They attend ordinances to avoid that discredit
which a voluntarily and habitual absence from them would
cause among those with whom they live, to avoid the punish-
ment of human laws, or for their worldly advantage; to make
np for other wickedness, or for some other carnal purposes.
Thus -hey profane the ordinances of God, by perverting them to
profane purposes.
4. When persons thus treat God's hol> ordinances, it
tends to heget contempt of them in others. When others see
sacred things commonly used so irreverently, and attended with
such carelessness and contempt, and treated without any sacred
regard; when they see persons are bold with them, treat them
without any solemnity of spirit ; when they see them thus com-
monly profaned, it tends to diminish their sense of their sacred- *t,
ness, and to make them seem no very awful things. In short,
it tends to embolden them to do the like.
The holy vessels and utensils 6f the temple and tabernacle
were never to be put to a common use, nor to be handled with-
out the greatest care and reverence : for if it had been com-
monly otherwise, the reverence of them could not have been
maintained ; they would have seemed no more sacred than any
thing else. So it is in the ordinances of Christian worship.
SER. VII. .rl call to self-examination. 373
SECT. III.
v^ call to self-examination.
Let this doctrine put all upon exami?iing themselves, whe-
ther they do not allow themselves in known wickedne'^s. You
are snch as do enjoy the ordinances of divine worship. You
come into the holy presence of God, altendinj^ on those ordi-
nances, which God. by sacred authority, hath hallowed and set
apart, that in them we miiiht have immediate intercourse with
himself; that we might worship and adore him, and express to
him a humble, holy, su!-)reme respect ; and that in them we
might receive immediate communications from him.
Here you come and speak to God, pretending to express
your sense how glorious he is, and how worthy that you should
fear and love him, humble yourselves before him, devote your-
selves to him, obey him, and have a greater respect to his com-
mands and to his honour, than to any temporal interest, ease, or
pleasure of your own. Here you pretend before God, that you
are sensible how unworthily you have done by sins committed
in times past, and that you have a great desire not to do the
like in time to come- You pretend to confess your sins, and to
humble yourselves for them. Here you pray that God would
give you his spirit to assist you against sin, to keep you from
the commission of it, enable you to overcome temptations, and
help you to walk holily in all your conversation, as though you
really had a great desire to avoid such sins as you have been
guilty of in time past. And the like pretences you have made
in your attendance upon the other ordinances, as in hearing the
word, in singing praise, &c.
But consider whether you do not horribly defile and pro-
fane the public prayers and other ordinances. Notwithstand-
ing all your pretences, and what you seem to hold forth by
your attendance on them, do you not all the while live in known
wickedness against God ? For all your pretences of respect to
God, of humiliation for sin, and desires to avoid it, have you not
come directly from the allowed practice of known sin to God's
ordinances, and did not at all repent of what you had done, nor
at all sorry for it at the very time when you stood before God,
making these pretences ; and even had no design of reformation,
but intended to return to the same practice again after your de-
parture from the presence of God? I say, Hath not this, on
many occasions, been your manner of coming and attending on
the ordinances of divine worship ? Not only so, but, is it not
still your manner, your common way of attending upon these
ordinances, even to this very day ? Do you not lie to God with
your tongues, when you pretend, that he is a great God, and that
374 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
you are poor, guilty unworthy creatures, deserving his wrath by
the sins of which you have been guilty ? and when you pretend,
that you earnestly desire he would keep you from the like for
time to come? Are )ou not guilty of horrid mockery of God
in it. when at the ^ame time }ou design no such thing, but the
contrar} ?
Do you not even the same day that )ou come into God's
house, and to hi« ordinances allow vo<ir>elves in known sins?
Do you not with consent and approbation think of the sinful
practices, in which >ou allow your^elves, and in which jou have
been exercising yourselves in the week past? Do you not the
very day in which you attend ordniances, allowedly please and
gratify a wicked imagination? And are you not then perpetra-
ting wickedness in your thoughts, and contriving the further
fulfilment of your wickedness ? Yea, are you not guilty of these
things sometimes even in the very time of your attendance on
ordinances, when you are in the immediate presence of God!
And while others have immediate intercourse with God. and you
likewise pretend to the same ? Do you not even in these cir-
cumstances, allow yourselves in wicked thoughts and imagi-
nations, voluntarily wallowing in known wickedness?
Are not some of you guilty of allowedly breaking God's
Holy Sabbath, in maintaining no government of your thoughts,
thinking indifferently about any thing that comes next to mind ;
and not only thinkinji, but talking too about common, worldly
affairs? And sometimes talking in such a manner, as is not
suitable even on other days ; talking prof nely, or in an unclean
maii/ier. sporting and divertiiiji yourselves in such conversation
on God's holy day ? Yea. it is well if some have not been thus
guilty in the very time of attendance on the ordinances of
worship.
Examine yourselves, how it hath been with you. You all
aUend many of the oroinances of divine worship. You come to
the house of God, attend public prayers, singing, and preaching
of the word ; and many of you come to the Lord's supper that
holy ordinance, instituted for the special commemoration of the
greatest and most wonderful of all divine acts towards mankind;
for the special and visible representation of the most glorious
and wonderful things of our religion ; for the most solemn pro-
fession and renewal of our engagement to God ; and for special
communion with Jesus Christ. Let such examine themselves
whether (hey do not allow themselves in known sin, t.> the hor-
rid profanation and pollution of this most sacred ordinance.
Examine and see whether you do not a'low yourselves in
some way of dealing with your fellow-men, which you have suf-
ficient linht to know to be evil ; or whether you do not allow
yourselves in a known evil behaviour towards some person or
persons of the families to which you respectively belong, as to-
SER. VII. A call to self-examiriation, 375
wards your husbands, your wives, your children or servants ; or
your neighbours, in your spirit and be.aviour toward;- thtm, or
in your talk of them.
Eximine whether you do not some way willingly indulge an
unclean a|-petile, in less or grosser acts of uncleanness, or in your
discourse, or in your imagination. Or do you not give way to
a lust after strong dnnk, or indulge yourselves in some vicious
excess in gratifying some sensual appetite in meat or drink or
otherwise? Are you not willingly guilty of vanity, and extra-
vagance in your conversation.
Do you not, for all your attendance on ordinances, con-
tinue in the allowed neglect of your precious souls, neglecting
secret prayer or some known duty of private religion ? Or do
you not allow yourselves in sabbath-breaking? — !n all these
ways are the ordinances of God's sacred worship polluted and
profaned.
Men are apt to act very treacherously and perversely in
the matter of self-examination. When they are put upon ex-
amining themselves, they very often decline it, and will not enter
into any serious examination of themselves at all. They hear
uses of examination insisted on, but put them ofTto others, and
never seriously apply them to themselves. — And if they do ex-
amine themselves, when they are put upon it, they are exceed-
ingly partial to themselves ; they spare themselves ; they do not
search, and look, and pass a judgment according to truth: but
so as unreasonably to favour and justify themselves.- — If they
can be brought to examine themselves at all, whether they do
not allow themselves in known wickedness, although they atttmd
on divine ordinances, they will not do it impartially. Their
endeavour will not be indeed to know the truth of their case,
and to give a true answer to their consciences ; but to blind
themselves, to persuade and flatter themselves that they do not
allow themselves in known sin, whether it be true or not.
There are two things especially wherein persons often act very
perversely and falsely in this matter.
1. Persons very often deal very perversely in pretending,
that the sins in which they live are not known sins. Nothing
is more common surely, than for persons to flatter themselves
with this concerning the wickedness in which they live. Let
that wickedness be almost what it may, they will plead to their
consciences and endeavour to still them, that there is no evil in it,
or that they do not know that there is any evil in it. Men's own
consciences can best tell how they are wont to do in this matter.
— There i:- hardly any kind of wirktdness that men commit, but
they will plead thus in excuse for it. They will plead thus
about their cheatirtg and injustice, about their hatred of their
neighbours, about their evil speaking, about their revengeful spi-
rit, about their excessive drinking, about their lying, their ne«
376 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
gleet of secret prayer, their lasciviousness, their unclean dalli-
ances ; yea, they will plead excuses for very gross acts of un-
cleanness, as fornication, adultery and what not. They have
their vain excuses and carnal reasonings in favour of all their
evil actions. They will say, What harm, what evil is there in
such and such an action ? And if there be a plain rule against
it, yet the) will plead that their circumstances are peculiar, and
that they are excepted from the geiieral rule; that their temp-
tation is so great, that they are excusable ; or some thing will
they find to plead.
If it be some thing upon which their lusts are much set,
and about which they feel remorse of conscience, they will
never leave studying and contriving with all the art and subtilty
of which they are masters, till they shall have found out some
reason, some excuse, with which they shall be able in some
measure to quiet their consciences. And whether after all they
shall have made it out to blind conscience or not, yet they will
plead that their argument is good, and it is no sin ; or if it be a
sin it is oidy a sin of ignorance. — So men will plead for the
wickedness which they do in the dark. So without doubt some
very gj-oss sinners plead to their consciences ; as would ap-
pear, if we could but look into their hearts ; when indeed the
strongest argument they have, that in such a thing there is no
evil, is the strongest lust they have to it, the inordinate desire
they have to commit it.
It was the saying of one, Licitis perimus omnes ; that is,
we all perish by lawful things ; which is as much as to say, men
commonly live wickedly and go to hell, in those ways which
they flatter themselves to be lawful. Or at least they flatter
themselves, that they are sins of ignorance; they do not know
them to be unlawful. — Thus, I make no doubt, some will be
apt to do, in applying to themselves this use of examination, if
they can be persuaded to apply it to themselves at all. Whe-
ther these things be true of you, let your own consciences speak,
you that neglect secret payer ; you that live in secret, unclean,
lascivious actions ; you that indulge an inordinate appetite for
strong drink; you that defraud or oppress others; you that in-
dulge a spirit of revenge and hatred towards your neighbour. —
Here I desire you to consider two or three things.
(1.) Not all sins, which one knows not with a certain know-
lege to be sinful, are justly called sins of ignorance. Men often
will excuse themselves for venturing upon a sinful action or
practice, with this, that they know not that it is sinful ; which is
at most true no otherwise, than as they do not know it to be
sinful with a certain knowledge, or with the evidence of abso-
lute deiionstration ; although at the same time it is a sin against
their light, and against great light. They have been so taught,
that they have had light enough to make them sensible that it
3ER. vn. A call to self -examination. ■377
is displeasing to God, and not warranted or allowed by him^
And they do in their consciences think it to be sinful; they are
secretly coavinced of it, however they may pretend the con-
trary, and labour to deceive theriselves and to persuade them-
selves that they do not think there is any evil in it.
Those sins which are contrary to sufficient information and
instruction, and contrary to the real dictates of their own con-
sciences, or to the judgment of their own minds ; whether there
be certain or demonstrative knowledge or no ; these are what I
would be understood to mean, when I speak of known sins.
Such light as this, whether there be absolutely certain know-
ledge or no, is sufficient to render the action utterly inexcusable,
and to render it, when allowed, a horrible profanation and
pollution of the holy ordinances of God.
(2.) It is in vain for persons to pretend that those are sins
of ignorance, which they have often and clearly heard testified
against from the word of God. it will be found to be so at last ;
it will be found to be a vain thing for persons who have lived
under the light of the gospel, and where all manner of iniquity
is testified against, if they live in immoral and vicious practices,
to pretend that they are sins of ignorance ; unless the case be
very peculiar and extraordinary.
(3.) It is in vain for you to pretend that those are sins of ig-
norance, of which you would not dare to proceed in the prac-
tice, if you knew that your soul was to be required of you this
night. Persons do many things, for which they plead, and pre-
tend they think there is no evil in them, who yet would as soon
eat fire, as do the same, if they knew that they were to stand be-
fore the judgment-seat of Christ within four and twenty hours.
This shows that persons do but prevaricate, when they pretend
that their sins are sins of ignorance.
2. Another way wherein men deal falsely and perversely in
this matter, is, in pretending that they do 7iot allow themselves
in those sins which they practise. They either pretend (hat
they know them not to be sins, or if they cannot but own that,
then they will say, they do not allow themselves in them ; and
so they hope God is not very much provoked by them. They
pretend this, though they make a trade of them. They go on
repeating one act after another, without ever seriously repent-
ing of the past, or resolving against future acts. But take heed
that you do not deceive yourselves in this matter ; for such pre-
tences, however they do something towards stilling your con-
sciences now, will do nothing when you come to stand before
your righteous and holy Judge.
Vol. Vr. 48
.S78 PRACTICAL SERMOKS.
SECT. IV.
Address to such as attend ordinances, and yet allow thetnselvei<
in know) I sin.
Consider how holy and sacred the ordinances of God are ;
what mockery you are guilty of in making such a show, and
such pretences in attending ordinances, and yet voluntarily act-
ing the reverse of what you pretend. Consider that there is no
sort of sinners with whom God is so provoked, and who stand
so guilty before him, as the profaners of his ordinances. The
fire of God's wrath is kindled by none so much as by the pol-
luters of holy things. They are represented as those who are
especially guilty before God, in the third commandment : The
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Why is this annexed to this command, rather than to any other
of the ten, but because the breach of it especially renders a man
guilty in the sight of God ?
The taking of God's name in vain includes the profana-
tion and pollution of ordinances and holy things. They do in
a very dreadful manner take God's name in vain, who attend
on his ordinances, and yet live in known sin; for, as we have
shown, they manifest the greatest irreverence for him, and con-
tempt of divine things. They manifest a contempt of his au-
thority, a contempt of the business and design of his ordinances,
and a most careless and irreverent spirit in things wherein they
have immediate converse with God. Ordinances, as we have
shown, are attended in the name of God ; and therefore, by
such an attendance on them, the name of God is greatly pro-
faned. You that attend ordinances in such a manner, take the
name of God so much in vain, that you use it only in mockery,
and so as to expose it to contempt. Such a way of attending
ordinances is a trampling of all that is sacred under foot.
We have in scripture scarce any such awful instances of
the immediate and miraculous vengeance of God, as on the pro-
faners of holy things. How did God consume Nadab and Abihu
for offering strange fire before him! How did he break forth
upon Uzza, for handling the ark with too much irreverence!
2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. And how did he break forth on the children of
Israel at Bcthshemesh,for profaning the ark! He smote of the
people fifty thousand three score and ten men, as in 1 Sam. vi. 19.
And God hath threatened in the New Testament, that if
any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for
the temple of God is holy. 1 Cor. iii. 1 7. There is an emphasis
in the expression. God will destroy all sinners, let it be
what sin it will, which they commit, and in which they continue ;
and yet it is said, If any man defile the temple of God, him
aER. vii. Address to profaners of ordinances. ' '
shall God destroy, as if it had been said, there is something pe-
culiar in the case, and God is especially provoked to destroy
such and consunrie them in the tire of his wrath ; and he will
indeed destroy them with a destruction especially dreadful.
So God hath declared, Gal. vi. 7. that he will not be
mocked ; i. e. if any presume to mock him, they will find him,
by experience, to be no contemptible being. God will vindi-
cate his holy majesty from the contempt of those who dare to
mock him, and he will do it effectually: they shall fully find
how dreadful a beirg he is, whose niime they have daringly
profaned and polluted. Defilers and profaners of ordinances,
by known and allowed wickedness, provoked God more than the
Heathen, who have no ordinances. Thus the wickedness of
Judah and Jerusalem is said to be far worse than that of Sodom,
though the inhabitants of Sodom were, as we have reason to
think, some of the worst of the Heathens. See Ezek. xvi. 46,
47, &:c. The sin of Sodom is here spoken of as a light thing
in comparison with the sins of Judah. And whai should be
the reason, but that Judah enjoyed holy things which they pro-
faned and polluted, which Sodom had no opportunity to do ? for
it is not to be supposed, that Judah otherwise arrived to the
same pass that Sodom had.
Consider therefore, ye who allow yourselves in known
wickedness, and live in it, who yet come to the house of God,
and to his ordinances from time to time, without any serious
design of forsaking your sins, but, on the contrary, with an in-
tention of continuing in them, and who frequently go from the
house of God to your wicked practices; consider how guilty
you have made yourselves in the sight of God, and how dread-
fully God is provoked by you. It is a wonder of God's pa-
tience, that he doth not break forth upon you, and strike you
dead in a moment ; for you profane holy things in a more dread-
ful maner than Uzza did, when yet God struck him dead for
his error. And whereas he was struck dead for only one of-
fence ; you are guilty of the same sin from week to week, and
from day to day.
Tt is a wonder, that God suffers you to live upon earth ;
that he hath not, with a thunderbolt of his wrath, struck you
down to the bottomless pit long ago. You that are allowedly
and voluntarily living in sin, who have gone on hitherto in sin,
are still going on, and do not design any other than to go on yet;
it is a wonder that the Almighty's thunder lies still, and suffers
you to sit in his house, or to live upon earth. It is a wonder
that the earth will bear you, and that hell doth not swallow you
up. It is a wonder that fire doth not come down from heaven,
or come up from hell, and devour you ; that hell-flames do not
enlarge themselves to reach you, and that the bottomless pit
hath not sw^allowed you up.
-m.
3S^J URACTIGAL SERMONS.
However, that you are as yet borne with, is no argument
that your damnation slumbers. The anger of God is not like
the passions of men, that it should be in haste. There is a day
of vengeance and recompense appointed for the vessels of
wrath; and when the day shall have come, and th ^ iniquity
shall be full, none shall deliver out of God's hand. Then will
he recompense, even recompense into your bosoms.
%
''sJf?^
SERMON VIII.
THE FIXAIi JUDGMFXT, OR THE WORLD JUDGED
RIGHTEOUSLY &c. BV JESUS CHRIST.
Acts xvii. 31.
Because, he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the ■
zoorld in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained.
INTRODUCTION.
These words are a part of the speech which Paul made
in Mars-Hill, a place of concourse of the judges and learned
men of Athens. Athens was the principal cit> of that [)art of
Greece which was formerly a commonwealth by itself, and was
the most noted place in the whole world for learning, philosophy,
and human wisdom ; and it continued so for many ages ; till at
length the Romans havmg conquered Greece, its renown from
that time began to diminish ; and Rome having borrowed learning
of it, began to rival it in science, and in the polite and civil arts.
However, it was still very famous in the days of Christ and the
apostles, and was a place of concourse for wise and learned
men.
Therefore, when Paul came thither, and began to preach
concerning Jesus Christ, a man who had lately been cru< ified
at Jerusalem, (as in the 18th verse,) the philosophers thronged
about him, to hear what he had to say. The strangeness of his
doctrine excited their curiosity ; for they spent their time in
endeavouring to find out new things, and valued themselves
greatly upon their being the authors of new discoveries, as we
are informed in ver. 21. They despised his doctrine in their
hearts, and esteemed it very ridiculous, calling the apostle a
babbler ; for the preaching of Christ crucified was to the Greeks
foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 23. yet the Epicurean and Stoic philoso-
382
PRACTICAL SERMON'S.
pliers, two different sects, had a mind to hear what the babbler
had to say.
Upon this Paul rises up in the midst of the'T>, and makes a
speech ; and a-, he speaks to pliilo-iophers and men of learning,
he speaks quite ditferenti) from his comtnon mode of address.
There is evidently, in his discourse, a greater depth of thought,
more phi!oso|,hi(al reasoning, and a more elevated style, than
are to be found in his ordinary discourses to common men.
His speech is such a? was likely to draw the attention, and
gain the assent of philosophers. He shows himself to be no
babbler, but a man who could offer such reason, as they, however
they valued themselves upon their wisdom, were not able to
gainsay. His practice here is agreeable to what he saith of him-
self, 1 Cor. ix. '22. " that he became all things to all men, that
he (night by all means save some.**' He not only to the weak
became as weak, ihat he might gain the weak ; but to the wise
he became as wise, that he might gain the wise.
in the first place, he reasons with them concerning their
worship of idols. He declares to them the true God, and points
out how unreasonable it is to suppose, that he delights in such
superstitious worship. He begins with this, because they were
most likely to hearken to it, as being so evidently agreeable to
the natural light of human reason, and also agreeable to what
some of their own poets and philosophers had said, (ver. 28.)
He begins not immediately to tell them about Jesus Christ, his
dying for sinners, and his resurrection from the dead ; but first
draws their attention with that to which they were more likely
to hearken ; and then, havingthus introduced himself, he proceeds
to speak concerning Jesus Christ.
He tells them, the times of this ignorance concerning the
true God, in which they had hitherto been, God winked at ; he
suffered the world to lie in heathenish darkness ; but now the
appointed time was come, when he expected men should every
zohere repent^ "because he had appointed a day, in the which
he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he
hath ordained." As an enforcement to the duty of turning to
God from their ignorance, superstition, and idolatry, the apostle
brings in this, that God had appointed such a day of judgment.
And as a proof of this, he brings the resurrection of Christ from
the dead.
Concerning the words of the text, we may observe,
That in them the apostle speaks of the general judgm^^nt :
He zoill judge the w )Rr,D. — Tlie time when this shall be, on the
appointed day : He hath appointed a day. — How the world is
to be judged : In righteousness. — The man by whom it is to be
judged: Christ Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.
SER. viii. God is the Supreme Judge. 383
Doctrine. There is a day coming, in which there will
be a general righteous judgment of the whole world, by
Jesus Christ.
In speaking upon this subject, T shall show, That God is the
supreme judge of the world. That there is a tmie coming,
when God will, in the most public and solemn manner, j'ldge
the whole world. That the person by whom he will ,iidge it,
is Jesus Christ. That the transactions, of that day. will be
greatly interesting, and trul} awful. That all shall be done in
righteousness. And, finally, I shall take notice of tho^e things
which shall be immediately consequent upon the judgment.
SECT. I.
God is the Supreme Judge of the World.
1. God is so by right. He is, by right, the supreme and
absolute ruler and disposer of all things, both in the natural
and moral world. The rational, understanding part of the
creation, is, indeed, subject to a diH'erent sort of government'
from that to which irrational creatures are subject. God go-
verns the sun, moon, and stars ; he governs even the motes of
dust which fly in the air. Not a hair of our heads falleth to
the ground without our heavenly Father. God, also, governs
the brute creatures ; by his providence, he orders, according to
his own decrees, all events concerning those creatures. And
rational creatures are subject to the same sort of government;
all their actions,* and all e\ ents relating to them, being ordered
by superior providence, according to absolute decrees ; so that
no event that relates to them, ever happens without the dispo-
sal of God, according to his own decrees. The rule of this
government, is God's wise decree, and nothing else.
But rational creatures, because they are intelligent and vo-
luntary agents, are the subjects of another kind of government.
They are so only with respect to those of their actions, in which
they are causes by counsel, or with respect to their voluntary
actions. The government of which I now speak, is called
moral government, and consists in two thir)gs — in giving laws,
and in judging.
God is, with respect to this sort of government, by right
the sovereign ruler of the world. He is possessed of this right
by reason of his infinite greatness and excellency, by which he
merits, and is perfectly and solely fit for, the office of supreme
ruler. He that is so excellent as to be infinitely worth\ of the
highest respect of the creature, hath thereby, a right to that
* Except as they are sinful ; for tlie sinfulness of actions is not included in
the decrees of God, who is pure act from eternity to eternity.
"'^
384 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
respect ; he deperves it by a merit of condignity ; so that it is
injustire to deny it to him. And he thnt is perfectly wise and
true, and is only so regartled, haih a right in ever> thing to be re-
garded, and to have his determinations attended to and obeyed.
G'id hath, also, a right to the character of su()reme ruler,
by reason of the absolute dependence of every creature on him.
All creatures, and rational creatures no less than others, are
wholh derived from him, and every moment are wholly de-
pendent upon him for being, and for all good : so that they are
proper!}' his possession. And as, by virtue of this, be hath a
right to give his creatures whatever rules of conduct he pleases,
or whatever rules are agreeable to his own wisdom ; so the
mind and will of the creature ought to be entirely conformed
to the nature and will of the Creator, and to the rules he gives
that are expressive of it.
For the same reason, he hath a right to judge their actions
and conduct, and to fulfil the sanction of his lav\ . He who hath
an absolute and independent right to give laws, hath, evermore,
the same right to judge those to whom the laws are given. It
is ab«;olutely necessary that there should be a judge of reason-
able creatures ; and sanctions, or rewards and |)unishments. an-
nexed to rules of conduct, are necessary to the being of laws.
A person may instruct another without sanctions, but not give
laws. However, these sanctions themselves are vain, are as
good as none, without a judge to determine the execution of
them. As God hath a right to be judge, so hath he a right to
be the supreme judge ; and none hath a right to reverse his
judgments, to receive appeals from him, or to say to him. Why
judge.-t thou thus ?
2. God is in fact the supreme judge of the world. He
hath power sufficient to vindicate his own right. As he hath a
right which cannot be disputed, so he hath power which can-
not be controlled. He is possessed of omnipotence, wherewith
to maintain his dominion over the world ; and he doth main-
tain his dominion in the moral as well as the natural world.
Men may refuse subjection to God as a lawgiver: they may
shake otf the yoke of his laws b) rebellion; yet they cannot
withdraw themselves from his judgment. Although they will
not have God for their lawgiver, )et they shall have him for
their judge. The strongest of creatures can do nothing to con-
trol God, or to avoid h m while acting in his judicial capacity.
He is able to bring them to his judgment-seat, and is also able to
execute the sentence which he >hall pronounce.
There was once a notable attem[)t made by opposition of
power entirely to shake otf the yoke of the moral government
of God. both as lawgiver, and as judge. This attempt was
made by the angels, the most mighty of creatures; but they
miserably failed in it: God notwithstanding acted as their judge
oER. VIII. God is the supreme Judge. 385
in casting those proud spirits out of heaven, and binding them
in chains of darkness unto a further judgment, and a further
execution. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength ^ who
hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? Job
ix. 4. Wherein the enemies of God deal proudly, he is above
them. He ever hath acted as judge in bestowing what rewards,
and inflicting what punishments he pleased on the children of
men. And so he doth still ; he is daily fulfilling the promises
and threatenings of the law, in disposing of the souls of the
children of men, and so he evermore will act.
God acteth as judge towards the children of men more
especially.
(1.) In man's particular judgment at death- Then the
sentence is executed, and the reward bestowed in parlj which
is not done without a judgment. The soul, when it departs
from the body, appears before God to be disposed of by him,
according to his law. But by this appearing before God, to be
judged at death, we need understand no more than this, that the
soul is made immediately sensible of the presence of God ; God
manifesting himself immediately to the soul, with the glory and
majesty of a judge ; that the sins of the wicked, and the right-
eousness of the saints, are brought by God to the view of their
consciences, so that they know the reason of the sentence given,
and their consciences are made to testify to the justice of it;
and that thus the will of God for the fulfilment of the law, in
their reward or punishment, is made known to them and exe-
cuted. This is undoubtedly done at every man's death.
(2) In the great and general judgment, when all men shall
together appear before the judgment-seat to be judged : which
judgment will be much more solemn, and the sanctions of the
law will to a farther degree be fulfilled. — But this brings me to
another branch of the subject.
SECT. li.
That there is a time coming when God will, in the most puhtie
and solemn manner, judge the whole zcorld of mankind.
The doctrine of a general judgment is not sufficiently dis-
coverable by the light of nature. Indeed some of the heathens
had some obscure notions concerning a future judgment. But
the light of nature, or mere unassisted reason, was not sufficient
to instruct the world of fallen men in this doctrine. It is one
of the peculiar doctrines of revelation, a doctrine of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. There were indeed some hints of it in the
Old Testament, as in Psal. xcvi. 13. The Lord cometh to judge
the world with righteousness, and his people with his truth. And
Eccl. xii. 14. For God will brins; every x^ork into mdement,
Vor,. VI. 40 ''
336 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
zoith every secret thing, whether it he good, or whether it be evil.
And in some other such like passages. But this doctrine is
with abundantly the greatest clearness revealed in the New
Testament : there we have it frequently and particularly decla-
red and described with its circumstances.
However, although it be a doctrine of revelation, and be
brought to light by the gospel, the brightest and most glorious
revelation that God hath given to the world ; yet it is a doctrine
which is entirely agreeable to reason, and of which reason gives
great confirmation. That there will be a time before the disso-
lution of the world, when the inhabitants of it shall stand before
God and give an account of their conduct ; and that God will
in a public manner, by a general and just judgment, set all
things to rights respecting their moral behaviour, is a doctrine
entirely agreeable to reason ; which I shall now endeavour to
make appear. But I would premise, that what we would in-
quire into, is not whether all mankind shall be judged by God ;
for that is a thing that the light of i.ature clearly teaches, and we
have already spoken something of it : but whether it be rational
to think that there will be a pwft/zc judgment of all mankind
together. This 1 think will appear very rational from the fol-
lowing considerations.
1. Such a judgment will be a more glorious display of God's
majesty and dominion ; it will be more glorioiis, because it will
be more open, public, and solemn. — Although God now actually
exercises the most sovereign dominion over the earth ; although
he reigns and doth all things according to his own will, ordering
all events as seemeth to himself good ; and although he is actu-
ally judge in the earth, continually disposing of men's souls
according to their works; yet he rules after a more hidden and
secret manner, insomuch that it is common among the proud
sons of men, to refuse acknowledging his dominion. Wicked
men question the very existence of a God, who taketh care of
the world, .who ordereth the aflfairs of it, and judgeth in it; and
therefore they cast off the fear of him. Many of the kings and
great men of the earth do not suitably acknowledge the God
who is above them, but seem to look upon themselves as su-
preme, and therefore tyrannize over mankind, as if they were
in nowise accountable for their conduct. There have been,
and now are, many atheistical persons, who acknowledge not
God's moral dominion over mankind; and therefore they throw
off the yoke of his laws and government. And how great a part
of the world is there now, and has there always been, that has
not acknowledged that the government of the world belongs to
the God of Israel, or to the God of Christians ; but has paid ho-
mage to other imaginary deities, as though they were their sove-
reign lords and supreme judges. Over how great a part of the
^ER. Viu. • Uod IS the suprenit Judgt. .ii>7
world hath Satan usurped the dominion, and set up himself
of God, in opposition to the true God ?
Now, how agreeable to reason is it, that God, in the winding
up of things, when the present state of mankind shall come to a
conclusion, should in the most open and public manner, manifest
his dominion over the inhabitants of the earth, by bringing them
all, high and low, rich and |)oor, kings and subjects, together
before him to be judged with respect to all that they ever did
in the world: that he should thus openly discover his dominion
in this world, where his authority hath been so much questioned,
denied, and proudly opposed ? That those very persons, who
have thus denied and opposed the authority of God, should be
themselves, with the rest of the world, brought before the tri-
bunal of God ? That however God be not now visibly pre-
sent upon earth, disposing and judging in that visible manner
that earthly kings do ; yet at the conclusion of the world he
should make his dominion visible to all, and with respect to all
mankind, so that every eye shall see him, and even they who
have denied him, shall tind, that God is supreme Lord of them,
and of the whole world ?
2. The er>d of judgment will be more fully answered by a pub-
lic and general, than only by a particular and private judgment.
The end for which there is any judgment at all is to display
and glorify the righteousness of God ; which end is more fully
accomplished by calling men to an account, bringing their actions
to the trial, and determining their state according to them, the
whole world, both angels and men, being present to behold,
than if the same things should be done in a more private way.
At the day of judj;ment there will be the most glorious display
of the justice of God that ever was made. Then God will ap-
pear to be entirely rijihfeous towards every one : the justice of
all his moral government will on that day be at once discovered.
Then all objections will be removed ; the conscience of every
man shall be satisfied ; the blasphemies of the ungodly will be
for ever put to silence, and argument will be given for the saints
and angels to praise God forever: Rev. xix. 1, 2, Jlnd after
these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, say-
ings Alleluia •, Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power be
to the Lord our God ; for true and righteous are his judgments,
3. It is very agreeable to reason, that the irregularities
which are so open and manifest in the world, should, when the
world comes to an end, be publicly rectified by the supreme
governor. The infinitely wise God, who made this world to be
a habitation for met), and placed mankind to dwell here, and
hath appointed man his end and work, must take care of the
order and u;ood government of the world which he hath thus
made. He is not regardless how things proceed here on earth :
it would be a reproach to his wisdom, and to the perfect recti-
rRACTI(-.AI> SERMONS.
tude 01' his nature, to suppose so. This world is a world of con
fusion ; it hath been filled with irregularity and confusion ever
since the fall ; and the irregularities of it are not only private,
relating to the actions of particular persons : but states, king-
doms, nations, churches, cities, and all societies of men in all
ages, have been full of public irregularities. The affairs of the
world, so far as they are in the hands of men, are carried on in
the most irregular and confused manner.
Though justice sometimes takes place, yet how often do
injustice, cruelty and oppression prevail ! How often are the
righteous condemned, and the wicked acquitted and rewarded!
H>»\v common is it for the virtuous and pious to be depressed,
and the wicked to be advanced ! How many thousands of the
best men have suffered intolerable cruelties merely for their
virtue and piety, and in this world have had no help, no refuge
to fly to. The world is very much ruled by the pride, covet-
ousness, and passions of men. Solomon takes much notice of
such like irregularities in the present state, (in his book of Ec-
clesiastes,) whereby he shows the vanity of the world.
Now, how reasonable is it to suppose, that God, when he
shall come and put an end to the present state of mankind, will,
in an open, public manner, the whole world being present, rec-
tify all these disorders! and that he will bring all things to a
trial by a general judgment, in order that those who have been
oppressed, may be delivered ; that the righteous cause may be
pleaded and vindicated, and wickedness, which has been ap-
proved, honoured, and rewarded, may receive its due disgrace
and punishment ; that the proceedings of kings and earthly
judges may be inquired into by him, whose eyes are as a flame
of fire ; and that the public actions of men may be publicly
examined and recompensed, according to their desert! How
agreeable is it to divine wisdom thus to order things, and how
worthy of the supreme governor of the world !
4. By a public and general judgment, God more fully ac-
complishes the reward he designs for the godly, and the pun-
ishment he designs for the wicked. One part of the reward
which God intends for his saints, is the honour which he intends
to bestow upon them. He will honour them in the most public
and open manner, before the angels, before all mankind, and
before them that hated them. And it is most suitable that it
should be so ; it is suitable that those holy, humble souls, that
have been hated by wicked men, have been cruelly treated,
and put to shame by them, and who have been haughtily do-
mineered over, should be openly acquitted, commended, and
crowned, before all the world.
So one part of the punishment of the ungodly, will be the
open shame and disgrace which they shall suliier. Although
many of them have proudly lifted up their heads in this world,
«f->'.
vSERt VIII, God is the Supreme Judge. 389
have had a very high thought of themselves, and have obtained
outward honour among men ; yet God will put them to open
shame, by showing all their wickedness and moral filthiness
before the whole assembly of angels and men ; by manifesting
his abhorrence of them, in placing them upon his left hand,
among devils and foul spirits ; and by turning them away into
the most loathsome, as well as most dreadful pit of hell, to
dwell there for ever. — Which ends ma) be mu( h more fully
accomplished in a general, than in a particular judgment.
SECT. III.
The world will be judged by Jesus Christ.
The person by whom God will judge the world, is Jesus
Christ, God-man. The second person in the Trinity, that
same person of whom we read in our Bibles, who was born of
the Virgin Mary, lived in Galilee and Judea, and was, at last,
crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, will come to judge the
world, both in his divine and human nature ; in the same human
body that was crucified, and rose again, and ascended up into
heaven : Acts i. 11. This same Jesus that is taken up from you
into heaven^ shall come in like manner^ as ye have seen him go
into heaven. It will be his human nature which will then be
seen by the bodily eyes of men. However, his divine nature,
which is united to the human, will then, also, be present : and
it will be by the wisdom of that divine nature, that Christ will
see and judge.
Here naturally arises an inquiry. Why is Christ appointed
to judge the world, rather than the Father or the Holy Ghost ?
We cannot pretend to know all the reasons of the divine dis-
pensations. God is not obliged to give us an account of them.
But so much may we learn by divine revelation, as to discover
marvellous wisdom in what he determines and orders with re-
spect to this matter. We learn,
1. That God seeth fit, that he who is in the human nature,
should be the judge of those who are of the human nature :
John V. 27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment
also, because he is the Son of man. Seeing there is one of the
persons of the Trinity united to the human nature, God chooses,
in all his transactions with mankind, to transact by him. He
did so of old, in his discoveries of himself to the patriarchs, in
giving the law, in leading the children of Israel through the
wilderness, and in the manifestations he made of himself, in the
tabernacle and temple : when, although Christ was not actually
incarnate, yet he was so in design, it was ordained and agreed
in the covenant of redemption, that he should become incarnate.
And since the incarnation of Christ, God governs both the
oOO PRACTICAL SERMONS.
church and the world by Christ. So he will, also, at the end,
judge the world by him. All men shall be judged by God, and
yet at the same time by one invested with their own nature.
God seeth tit, that those who have bodies, as all mankind
will have at the day of judgment, should see their Judj^e with
their bodily eyes, and hear hirn with their bodily ears. If one
of the other persons of (he Trinity had been appointed to be
judge, there mu-^t have been some extraoniinary outward ap-
pearance made on |)urpose to ben token of the divine presence,
as it was of old. before Christ was mfarnate. But now there
is no necessity i>f (hat : now, one of (he persons of the Triiiity
is actually incarnate, so thnt God, b) him. may appear to bodily
eyes without any miraculous visionary appearance.
2. Christ hath this honour of being the Judge of the world
given him, as a suitable reward for his sufferings. This is a part
of Christ's exaltation. The exaltation of Christ is given him
in reward for his humiliation and sufferings. This was stipulated
in the covenant of redemption ; and we are expressly told, it
was given him in reward for his sufferings, Phil. ii. 8 — 12.
*' And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God, also, hath highly exalted him, and given him
a name which is above every name : that at the name of Jesus
everv knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things inearth,
and things under the earth ; and that every tongue should con-
fess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
God seeth meet, that he who appeared in such a low estate
amongst mankind, without form or comeliness, having his divine
glory vailed, should appear amongst men a second time, in his
own proper majesty and glory, without a vail; to the end that
those who saw him here at (he firs(, as a poor, frail man, not
having where to lay his head, subject to much hard>hip and
affliction, may see him the second time in power and great
glory, invested with the glory and dignity of the absolute Lord
of heaven and earth ; and that he, who once tabernarled with
men, and was despised and rejected of them, may have the
honour of arraigning all men before his throne, and judging
them with respect to their eternal state: John v. 21 — 24.
God seeth meet, that he who was once arraigned before
the judgment-seat of men, and was there most vilely treated,
being mocked, spitted upon, and condemned, and who was at
last crucified, should be rewarded, by having those very persons
brought to his tribunal, (hat they may see him in glory, and be
confouiided ; and that he mny have the disposal of (hem for all
eternity ; as Christ said (o the ^>iah priest, while arraigned be-
fore him. Matt. xxvi. 64. Hireafter ye shall see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.
SER. VIII. Jesus viill be the Judge. 391
3. It is needful that Christ should be the judge of the
world, in order that he may finish the work of redemption.
It is the will of God, that he who is the Redeemer of the world,
should be a complete Redeemer; and that, therefore, he should
have the whole woik of redemption left in his hands. Now,
the redemption of fallen mar) consists not merely in the impe-
tration of redemption, by obeying the divine law, and making
atonement for sinners, or in pre|)aring the way for their -alva-
tion, but it consists, in a great measure, and is actually fultilied,
in converting sinners to the knowledge and love of the truth,
in carrying them on in the way of grace and true holiness through
life, and in finally raising their bodies to life, in glorifying them,
in pronouncing the blessed sentence upon them, in crowning
them with honour and glory in the sight of men and angels, and
in completing and perfecting their reward. Now, it is neces-
sary that Christ should do this, in order to his finishing the
work which he hath begun. Raising the saints from the dead,
judging them, and fulfilling the sentence, is |«art of their sal-
vation ; and, therefore, it was necessary that Christ should be
appointed judge of the world, in order that he might finish his
work. (John vi. 39. 40 : chap. v. 25 — il.) The redemption
of the bodies of the saints, is part of the work of redemption ;
the resurrection to life is called a redemption of their bodies,
(Rom. viii. 2>i.)
It is the will of God, that Christ himself should have the
fulfilling of that for which he died, and for which he suffered so
much. Now the end for which he suffered, and died, was the
complete salvation of his people; and this shall be obtained at
the last judgment, and not before. Therefore, it was neces-
sary that Christ be appointed judge, in order that he himself
might fully accomplish the end for which he had both sutlered
and died. When Christ had finished his appointed sutferings,
God did, as it were, put the purchased inheritance into his
hands, to be kept for believers, and be bestowed upon them at
the day of jtidgment.
4. It was proper, that he, who is appointed King of the
church, should rule till he should have put all his enemies under
his feet ; m order to which, he m'ist be the iudge of his enemies^
as well as of his people. One of the offices of Christ, as Re-
deemer, is that of a King ; he is apj)ointed King of the church,
and head over all things to the church ; and. in order that his
kingdom be complete, and the design of his reign be accom-
plished, he must conquer all his enemies, and then he will deli-
ver up the kingdom to the Father : 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25. Then
Cometh the end. when he shall have delivered up the kitigdom to
God, even the Father ; when he shall have put down all rule,
and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath
put nil enemies under his feef> Now. when Christ shall have
392 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
broui^ht his enemies, who had denied, opposed, and rebelled
against him, to his Judgment-seat, and shall have passed and
executed sentence upon them, this will be a final and complete
victory over them — a victor) which shall put an end to the war.
And it is proper that lie, who at present reigns, and is carr)ing
on the war against those who are of the opposite kingdom,
should have the honour of obtaining the victory, and finishing
the war.
5. It is for the abundant comfort of the saints that Christ is
appointed to be their judge. The covenant of grace, with all
its circumstances, and all those events to which it hath relation,
is every way so contrived of God, as to give strong consolation
to believers : for God designed the gospel for a glorious mani-
festation of his grace to them ; and therefore every thing in it
is so ordered, as to manifest the most grace and mercy.
Now, it is for the abundant consolation of the saints, that
their own redeemer is appointed to be their judge ; that the
same person who spilled his blood for them hath the determina-
tion of their state left with him ; so that they need not doubt
but that they shall have what he was at so much cost to
procure.
What matter of joy to them will it be at the last day, to
lift up their eyes, and behold the person in whom they have
trusted for -alvation, to whom they have fled for refuge, upon
whom they have built as their foundation for eternity, and whose
voice they have often heard, inviting them to himself for pro-
tection and safety, coming to judge them.
6. That Christ is appointed to be the judge of the world,
will be for the more abundant conviction of the ungodly. It will
be for their conviction, that they are judged and condemned by
that very person whom they have rejected, by whom they might
have been saved, who shed his blood to give them an opportunity
to be saved, who was wont to offer his righteousness to them
when they were in their state of trial, and who many a time call-
ed and invited them to come to him, that they might be saved.
How justly will they be condemned by him whose salvation
they have rejected, whose blood they have despised, whose
many calls they have refused, and whom they have pierced by
their sins !
How much will it be for their conviction, when they shall
hear the sentence of condemnation pronounced, to reflect with
themselves, how often hath this same person, who now passes
sentence of condemnation upon mc, called me, in his word,
and by his messengers, to accept of him, and to give myself
to him ? How often hath he knocked at the door of my heart?
and had it not been for my own folly and obstinacy, how might
I have had him for my Saviour, who is now my incensed
Judge !
3ER. VIII. Christ^s cominc;, the resurrection, ^c. 393
-6^
SECT. IV.
Chrisi^s coming .> the resurrection, the judgment prepared, the
books opened, the sentence pronounced and executed,
1 . Christ Jesus will, in a most magnificent manner, descend
from heaven with all the holy angels. The man Christ Jesus
is now in the heaven of heavens, or, as the apostle expresses \i,far
above all heavens, Eph. iv. 10. And there he hath been ever
since his ascension, being there enthroned in glory, in the midst
of millions of angels and blessed spirits. But when the time
appointed for the day of judgment shall have come, notice of
it will be given in those happy regions, and Christ will descend
to the earth, attended with all those heavenly hosts, in a most
solemn, awful, and glorious manner. Christ will come with
divine majesty, he will come in the glory of the Father* Matt,
xvi. 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his
Father, with his angels.
We can now conceive but little of the holy and awful mag-
nificence in which Christ will appear, as he shall come in the
clouds of heaven, or of the glory of his retinue. How mean
and despicable, in comparison with it, is the most splendid ap-
pearance that earthly princes can make ! A glorious visible
light will shine round about him, and the earth, with all nature,
will tremble at his presence. How vast and innumerable will
that host be which will appear with him! Heaven will be for
the time deserted of its inhabitants.
We may argue the glory of Christ's appearance, from his
appearance at other times. When he appeared in transfigura-
tion, his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white
as the light. The apostle Peter long after spake of this appear-
ance in magnificent terms, 2 Pet. i. 16, 17. We were eye-wit-
nesses of his majesty ^ for he received from God the Father
honour and glory, when there came such ci voice to him from the
excellent glory. And his appearances to St. Paul at his conver-
sion, and to St. John, as related in Rev. i. 13, &;c. were very
grand and magnificent. But we may conclude, that his appear-
ance at the day of judgment v»all be vastly more so than either
of these, as the occasion will be so much greater. We have
good reason to think, that our nature, in the present frail state,
could not bear the appearance of the majesty in which he will
then be seen.
We may argue the glory of his appearance, from the ap-
pearances of some of the angels to men ; as of the angel that
appeared at Christ's sepulchre, after his resurrection. Matt,
xxviii. 3. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment
Tchite as snow. The angels will doubtless all of them make as
Vol. VI. 50
394 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
glorious an appearance at the day of judgment, as ever any of
them have made on former occasions. How glorious then, will
be the retinue of Christ, made up of so many thousands of such
angels! and how much more glorious will Christ, the judge
himself, appear, than those his attendants! Doubtless their
God will appear immensely more glorious than they.
Christ will thus descend into our air, to such a distance
from the surface of the earth, that every one, when all shall be
gathered together, shall see him. Rev. i. 7. Behold, he cometk
xoith clouds, and every eye shall see him,
Christ will make this appearance suddenly, and to the
great surprise of the inhabitants of the earth. It is therefore
compared to a cry at midnight, by which men are wakened in
a great surprise.
2. At the sound of the last trumpet, the dead shall rise, and
the living shall be changed. As soon as Christ is descended,
the last trumpet shall sound, as a notification to all mankind to
appear; at which mighty sound shall the dead be immediately
raised, and the living changed : 1 Cor. xv. 52. " For the trunv-
pet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed;" Matt. xxiv. 31. " and he shall send his
angels with a great sound of a trumpet :" 1 Thess. iv. 16. " For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God."
There will be some great and remarkable signal given for the
rising of the dead, which it seems will be some mighty sound,
caused by the angels of God who shall attend on Christ.
Upon this all the dead shall rise from their graves ; all, both
small and great, who shall have lived upon earth since the foun-
dation of the world ; those who died before the flood, and
those who were drowned in the flood ; all that have died
since that time, and that shall die, to the end of the world.
There will be a great moving upon the face of the earth and
in the waters, in bringing bone to his bone, in opening graves,
and bringing together all the scattered particles of dead bodies.
The earth shall give up the dead that are in it, and the sea shall
give up the dead that are in it.
However the parts of the bodies of many are divided and
scattered ; however many have been burnt, and their bodies
have been turned to ashes and smoke, and driven to the four
winds ; however many have been eaten of wild beasts, of the
fowls of heaven, and the fishes of the sea ; however many
have consumed away upon the face of the earth, and great part
of their bodies have ascended in exhalations ; yet the all-wise
and all-powerful God can immediately bring every part to his
part again.
Of this vast multitude some shall rise to life, and others to
'Condemnation. John v. 28. 29. " AH that are in the graves shall
-E,B. vtn. ChrisC's coming, tht resurrection, i-ta'. SO.'i
hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good,
unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation."
When the bodies are prepared, the departed souls shall
again enter into their bodies, and be reunited to them, never
more to be separated. The souls of the wicked shall be
brought up out of hell, though not out of misery, and shall very
unwillingly enter into their bodies, which will be but eternal
priso IS to them- Rev. xx. 13. " aud death and hell delivered
up the dead that were in them." They shall lift their eyes full
of the utmost amazement and horror to see their awful Judge.
And perhaps the bodies with which they shall be raised will be
most filthy and loathsome, thus properly corresponding to the
inward, moral turpitude of their souls.
The souls of the righteous shall descend from heaven to-
gether with Christ and his angels: 1 Thess. iv. 14. " Them also
which sleep in Jesus, shall God bring with him. They also
shall be re-united to their bodies, that they may be glorified
with them. They shall receive their bodies prepared by God
to be mansions of pleasure to all eternity. They shall be everv
way fitted for the uses, the exercises, and delights of perfectly
holy and glorified souls. They shall be clothed with a super-
lative beauty, similar to that of Christ's glorious body : Phil. iii.
21. " Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body." Their bodies shall rise incor-
ruptible, no more liable to pain or disease, and with an extra-
ordinary vigour and vivacity, like that of those spirits that are
as a flame of fire. 1 Cor. xv. 43, 44. " It is sown in dishonour,
it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power :
it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." With
what joy will the souls and bodies of the saints meet, and with
what joy will they lift up their heads out of their graves to be-
hold the glorious sight of the appearing of Christ! And it will
be a glorious sight to see those saints arising out of their graves,
putting off their corruption, and putting on incorruption and
glory.
At the same time, those that shall then be alive upon the
earth shall be changed. Their bodies shall pass through a great
change, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ; 1 Cor. xv. 51,
52. Behold, 1 show you a great mystery ; We shall not all sleep^
but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump. The bodies of the wicked then living will be
changed into such hideous things, as shall be answerable to the
loathsome souls that dwell in them, and such as shall be pre-
pared to receive and ;id ninister eternal torments without disso-
lution. But the bodies of the righteous shall be changed into the
same glorious and immortal form in which those that shall be
raised will appear-
306 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
3. They shall all be brought to appear before Christ, th*-
godly being placed on the right hand, the wicked on the left ;
Matt. XXV. 31, 32, 33. The wicked, however unwilling, how-
ever full of fear and horror, shall be brought or driven before
the judgment-seat. However they may try to hide themselves,
and for this purpose creep into dens and caves of the mountains,
and cry to the mountains to fall on them, and hide them from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb ; yet there shall not one escape ; to the judge they
must come, and stand on the left hand with devils. On the
contrary, the righteous will be joyfully conducted to Jesus
Christ, probably by the angels. Their joy will, as it were, give
them wings to carry them thither. They will with ecstacies and
raptures of delight meet their friend and saviour, come into his
presence, and stand at his right hand.
Besides the one standing on the right hand and the other
on the left, there seems to be this difference between them,
that when the dead in Christ shall be raised, they will all be
caught up into the air, where Christ shall be, and shall be there
at his right hand during the judgment, never more to set their
feet on this earth. Whereas the wicked shall be left standing
on the earth, there to abide the judgment. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.
The chad in Christ shall rise Jirst , then zee zohich are alive and
remain^ shall he caught vp together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air : and so shall zoe ever be with the Lord.
And what a vast congregation will there be of all the men,
women and children that shall have lived upon earth from the
beginning fo the end of the world! Rev. xx. 12. And I saio
the dead, small and great, stand before God.
4. The next thing will be, that the books shall be opened :
Rev. XX. 12. I saw the dead, great and small stand before God;
and the books were opened. Which books seem to be these two,
the book of God's remembrance, and the book of scripture ;
the former as the evidence of their deeds which are to be judged,
the latter as the rule of judgment. The works bb^ih of the
righteous and of the wicked will be brought forth, that they
may be judged according to them, and those works will be tried
according to the appointed and written rule.
(1.) The works of both righteous and wicked will be re-
hearsed. The book of God's remembrance will be first opened.
The various works of the children of men are, as it were, writ-
ten by God in a book of remembrance, Mai. iii. 16. A book,
of remembrance zoas zoritten before him. However ready un-
godly men may be to make light of their own sins, and to forget
them; yet God never forgetteth any of them : neither doth
God forget any of the good works of the saints. If they give
but a cup of cold water with a spirit of charity, God remem-
bers it.
SEH. vm. Chrisfs contiiig, the resurrection^ <^-c, 397
The evil works of the wicked shall then be brought forth
to light. They must then hear of all their profaneness, their
impenitence, their obstinate unbelief, their abuse of ordinan-
ces, and various other sins. The various aggravations of their
sins will also be brought to view, as how this man sinned after
such and such warnings, that after the receipt of such and such
mercies ; one after being so and so favoured with outward light,
another after having been the subject of inward conviction, ex-
cited by the immediate agency of God. Concerning these sins,
they shall be called to account to see what answer they can
make for themselves: Matt. xii. 36. Bid I say unto you, that
every idle zvord that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereof in the day of judgment. Rom. xiv. 12. So then every
one of us shall give account of himself to God.
The good works of the saints will also be brought forth as
evidences of their sincerity, and of their interest in the righte-
ousness of Christ. As to their evil works, they will not be
brought forth against them on that day : for the guilt of them
will not lie upon them, they being clothed with the righteous-
ness of Jesus Christ. The Judge himself will have taken the
guilt of their sins upon him; therefore their sins will not stand
against them in the book of God's remembrance. The account
of them will appear to have been cancelled before that time.
The account that will be found in God's book will not be of
debt, but of credit. God cancels their debts, and sets down
their good works, and is pleased, as it were, to make himself a
debtor for them, by his own gracious act.
Both good and bad will be judged according to their works ;
Rev. XX. 12. "And the dead were judged out of those things
that were found written in the books, according to their works ;''
and verse 13. "And they were judged every man according to
their works." Though the righteous are justified by faith, and
not by their works, yet they shall be judged according to their
works : then works shall be brought forth as the evidence of
their faith. Their faith, on that great day, shall be tried by its
fruits. If the works of any man shall have been bad ; if his
life shall appear to have been unchristian, that will condemn
him, without any further inquiry. But if his works, when ihey
shall be examined, prove good, and of the right sort, he shall
surely be justified. They will be declared as a sure evidence
of his having believed in Jesus Christ, and of his being clothed
with his righteousness.
But by works, we are to understand all voluntary exercises
of the faculties of the soul ; as, for instance, the words and con-
versation of men, as well as what is done with their hands :
Matt. xii. " By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned." Nor are we to understand
only outward acts, or the thoughts outwardly expressed, but,
398 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
also, the thoughts themselves, and all the inward workings of the
heart. Man judgeth according to the outward appearance, but
God judgeth the heart : Rev. ii. 23. " 1 am he that searcheth
the heart and (he reins, and I will give unto every one of you
according to his works." Nor will only positive sins be brought
into ,udgment, but, also, omissions of duty, as is manifest by
MhU. XXV. 42. &.C. — " For I was an hungered, and ye gave me
no ment ; I whs thirsty, and ve gave ine no drink," &c.
Oil that dny. secret and hidden wickedness wdl be brought
to liiiht. All the uncleanness, injustice, and violerice, of which
men have bten guilty in secret, shall be manifest both to angels
and men. Then it will be made to appear, how this and that
man have indulged them-elves in wicked miaginations. in lasci-
vious, covetous, malicious, or impious desires and wishes; and
how others have harboured in their hearts enmity against God
and his law ; also, impenitency and unbelief, notwithstanding all
the fneans used with them, and motives set before them, to in-
duce them to repent, return, and live.
The ^ood works of the saints, also, which were done in
secret, shall then be made public, and even the pious and bene-
volent atfections and designs of their hearts; so that the real
and secret characters of both saints and sinners, shall then be
mostclearlv and publicly displayed.
(2.) The book of scripture will be opened, and the works
of men will be tried by that touchstone. Their works will be
compared with the word of God. That which God gave men
for the rule of their action, while in this life, shall then be made
the rule of (heir judgment. God hath told us, beforehand, what
will be the rule of judgment. We are told, in the scriptures,
u|)on what terms we shall be justified, and upon what terms we
shall be condemned. That which God hath given us to be our
rule in our lives, he will make his own rule in judgment.
The rule of judgment will be twofold. The primary rule
of judgment will be the law. The law ever hath stood, and
ever will stand in force, as a rule of judgment, for those to
whom the law was given: Matt. v. 18. "For verily I say
unto you. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in nowise pass from the law, till all be fultilled." The law will
so far be made the rule of judgment, that not one person, at (hat
day, shall, b} any means, be justified or condemned, in a way
inconsistent with that which is established by the law. As to
the wicked, (he law will be so far (he rule of judgment respect-
ing them, that the sentence denounced against them will be the
sentence of the law. The righteous will be so far judged by
the law, that although their sen(ence will no( be the sentence of
the law, yet it will by no means be such a sentence as shall be
inconsistent with the law, but such as it allows : for it will be
by the righteousness of the law that they shall be justified.
SEU. VIII. Christ^s coming, the resurrection, li'C, 399
It will be inquired concerning every one, both righteous
and wicked, whether the law stands against him, or whether he
hath a fulfilment of the law to show. As to the righteous, they
will have fulfilment to show ; they will have it to plead, that
the judge himself hath fulfilled the law for them ; that he hath
both satisfied for their sins, and fulfilled the righteousness of the
law for them : Rom. x. 4. " Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth." But as to the
wicked, when it shall be found, by the book of God's remem-
brance, that they have broken the law, and have no fulfilment
of it to plead, the sentence of the law shall be pronounced upon
them.
A secondary rule of judgment will be the gospel, or the
covenant of grace, wherein it is said, " He that believeth shall
be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned ;" Rom. ii.
16. "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to my gospel." B) the gospel, or cove-
nant of grace, eternal blessedness will be adjudged to believers.
When it shall be found that the law hinders not, and that the
curse and condemnation of the law stands not against them, the
reward of eternal life shall be given them, according to the
glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
5. The sentence will be pronounced. Christ will say to
the wicked on the left hand, " Depart, ye cursed, into everlast-
ing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." How dreadful
will these words of the judge be to the poor, miserable, des-
pairing wretches on the left hand ! How amazing will every
syllable of them be ! How will they pierce them to the soul!
These words show the greatest wrath and abhorrence. Christ
will bid them depart ; he will send them away from his presence,
will remove them forever far out of his sight, into an everlasting
separation from God, as being most loathsome, and unfit to
dwell in his presence, and enjoy communion with him.
Christ will call them cursed ; depart, ye cursed, to whom
everlasting wrath and ruin belong; who are by your own wick-
edness prepared for nothing else, but to be firebrands of hell ;
who are the fit objects and vessels of the vengeance and fur) of
the Almighty. Into fire ; he will not send them away merely
into a loathsome prison, the receptacle of the filth and rubbish
of the universe ; but into a furnace of fire ; that must be. their
dwelling-place, there they must be tormented with the most
racking pain and anguish. It is everlastiyig fire; there is eter-
nity in the sentence, which infinitely aggravates the doom, and
will make every word of it immensely more dreadful, sinking
and amazing to the souls that receive it. Prepared for the
devil and his angels; this ^ets forth the greatness and intense-
ness of the torments, as the preceding part of the sentence does
+he duration. It shows the dreadfuJness of that fire to which
400 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
they shall be condemned, that it is the same that is prepared
for the devils, those foul spirits and great enemies of God.
Their condition will be the same as that of the devils, in many
respects; particularly as they must burn in the fire for ever.
This sentence will doubtless be pronounced in such an aw-
ful manner as shall be a terrible manifestation of the wrath of
the judge. There will be divine, holy, and almighty wrath mani-
fested m the countenance and voice of the judge ; and we know
not what other manifestations of anger will accompany the
sentence. Perhaps it will be accompanied with thunders and
lightnings far more dreadful than were on mount Sinai at the
giving of the law. Correspondent to these exhibitions of divine
wrath, will be the appearances of terror and most hori'ible amaze-
ment in the condemned. How will all their faces look pale!
how will death sit upon their countenances, when those words
shall be heard ! What dolorous cries, shrieks, and groans ! What
trembling, and wringing of hands, and gnashing of teeth, will
there then be !
But with the most benign aspect, in the most endearing
manner, and with the sweetest expressions of love, will Christ
invite his saints on his right hand to glory ; saying, " Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world." He will not bid them to go
from him, but to come with him ; to go where he goes ; to dwell
where he dwells ; to enjoy him, and to partake with him. He
will call them blessed, blessed of his Father; blessed by him
whose blessing is infinitely the most desirable, namely God.
Inherit' the kingdom: they are not only invited to go with Christ,
and to dwell with him, but to inherit a kingdom with him ; to sit
down with him on his throne, and to receive the honour and
happiness of a heavenly kingdom. Prepared for you from the
foundation ofthezoorldy this denotes the sovereign and eternal
love of God, as the source of their blessedness. He puts them
in mind, that God was pleased to set his love upon them long
before they had a being, even from eternity ; that therefore God
made heaven on purpose for them, and fitted it for their delight
and happiness.
6. Immediately after this, the sentence will be executed, as
we are informed. Matt. xxv. 46. " These shall go away into
everlasting punishment ; but the righteous into life eternal."
When the words of the sentence shall have once proceeded out
of the mouth of the judge, then that vast and innumerable throng
of ungodly men shall go away, shall be driven away, shall be
necessitated to go away with devils, and shall with dismal cries
and shrieks be cast into the great furnace of fire prepared for
the punishment of devils, (he perpetual thunders and lightnings
of the wrath of God following them. Into this fire they must in
both soul and body enter, never more to come out. Here they
SEE. VIII. All will he done in righteousness, 401
must spend eternal ages in wrestling with the most excruciating
torments, and in crying out in the midst of the most dreadful
flames, and under the most insupportable wrath.
On the other hand, the righteous shall ascend to heaven
with their glorified bodies, in company with Christ, his angels,
and all that host which descended with him ; they shall ascend in
the most joyful aiid triumphant manner, and shall enter with
Christ into that glorious and blessed world, which had for the
time been empty of its creature inhabitants. Christ having
given his church that perfect beauty, and crowned it with that
glory, honour, and happiness, which were stipulated in the co-
venant of redemption before the world was, and which he died
to procure for them, and having made it a truly glorious church,
every way complete; will present it before the Father, without
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Thus shall the saints be
instated in everlasting glory, to dwell there with Christ, who
shall feed them and lead them to living fountains of water, to the
full enjoyment of God, and to an eternity of the most holy,
glorious, and joyful employments.
SECT. V.
All will be done in righteousness.
Christ will give to every man his due, according to a most
righteous rule. Those who shall be condemned, will be most
justly condemned ; will be condemned to that punishment which
they shall most justly deserve ; and the justice of God in con-
demning them will be made most evident. Now the justice of
God in punishing wicked men, and especially in the degree of
their punishment, is often blasphemously called in question.
But it will be made clear and apparent to all ; their own con-
sciences will tell them that the sentence is just, and all cavils
will be put to silence.
So those that shall be justified, shall be most justly ad-
judged to eternal life. Although they also were great sinners,
and deserved eternal death; yet it will not be against justice or
the law, to justify them, they will be in Christ. But the ac-
quitting of them will be but giving the reward merited by Christ's
righteousness, Rom. iii. 26. That God may be just and the
justifier of him that believeth in Jesus-
Christ will judge the world in righteousness,' particularlv
as he will give to every one a due proportion either of reward
or punishment, according to the various characters of those who
shall be judged. The punishments shall be duly proportioned
to the number and aggravations of the sins of the wicked ; and
the rewards of the righteous shall be dulv proportioned to the
Vol. VI. 51
402 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
number of their holy acts and affections, and also to the degree
of virtue implied in them. — I would observe further,
1. That Christ cannot fail of being just in judging, through
mistake. He cannot take some to be sincere and godi}, who
are not so, nor others to be hypocrites, who are really sincere.
His eyes are as a flame of fire and he searcheih the hearts and
trieth the reins of the children of men. He can never err in
determining what is justice in particular cases, as human judges
often do. Nor can he be blinded by prejudice, as human
judges are very liable to be. Deut. x. 17. He regardeth not
persons, nor taketk reward. It is impossible he should be de-
ceived by the excuses, and false colours, and pleas of the
wicked, as human judges very commonly are. It is equally
impossible that he should err, in assigning to every one his
proper proportion of reward or punishment, according to his
wickedness or good works. His knowledge being infinite,
will efFectuall)' guard him against all these, and other such errors.
2. He cannot fail of judging righteously through an unright-
eous disposition ; for he is infinitely just and holy in his nature^
Deut. xsxii. 4. He is the rock, his work is perfect : for all his
ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just
and right is he. It is not possible that an infinitely powerful,
self-sulficient being should be under any temptation to injustice.
Nor is it possible that an infinitely wise being, who knoweth all
things, should not choose justice. For he who perfectly knows
all things, perfectly knows how much more amiable justice is
than injustice ; and therefore must choose it.
SECT. vr.
Those things which will immediately follow the day of judgment,
1. After the sentence shall have been pronounced, and the
saints shall have ascended with Christ into glory, this world
will be dissolved by fire : the conflagration will immediately
succeed the judgment. When an end shall have been put to
the present state of mankind, this world, which was the place
of their habitation during that state, will be destroyed, there
being no further use for it. This earth which had been the
stage upon which so many scenes had been acted, upon which
there had been so many great and famous kingdoms and large
cities; where there had been so many wars, so much trade and
business carried on for so many ages ; shall then be destroyed.
These continents, these islands, these seas and rivers, these
mountains and vallies, shall be seen no more at all : all shall be
destroyed by devouring flames. This we are plainly taught in
the word of God. 2 Pet. iii. 7. " But the heavens and the earth-
which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved un-
:rER. viii. Immediate consequence of judgment. 403
to fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men.
V. 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night:
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and
the elenients shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall beburnt up. v. 12. Looking for
and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on tire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat."
2. Both the misery of the wicked and the happiness of
the saints will be increased, beyond what shall be before the
judgment. The misery of the wicked will be increased, as
they will be tormented not only in their souls, but also in their
bodies, which will be prepared both to receive and administer
torment to their souls. There will, doubtless, then be the like
connexion between soul and body, as there is now ; and, there-
fore, the pains and torments of the one will affect the other.
And why may we not suppose, that their torments will be in-
creased as well as those of the devils ? Concerning them, we
are informed, (Jam. ii. 19,) that they believe there is one God,
and tremble in the belief; expecting, no doubt, that he will in-
flict upon thiem, in due time, more severe torments than even
those which they now suffer. We are also informed, that they
are bound in chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment ;
and unto the judgment of the great day ; (2 Pet. ii. 4. and Jude
6.) which implies, that their fill punishment is not yet executed
upon them, but that they are now reserved as prisoners in hell,
to receive their just recompense on the day of judgment.
Hence it was, that they thought Christ was come to torment
them before the time. Matt. viii. 29. Thus the punishment,
neither of wicked men, nor devils, will be complete, before the
finaljudgment.
No more will the happiness of the saints be complete be-
fore that time. Therefore, we are, in the New Testament, so
often encouraged with promises of the resurrection of the dead,
and of the day when Christ shall come the second time. These
things are spoken of as the great objects of the expectation and
hope of Christians. A state of separation of soul and body is
to men an unnatural state. Therefore, when the bodies of the
saints shall be raised from the dead, and their souls shall be
again united to them, as their state will be more natural, so,
doubtless, it will be more happy. Their bodies will be glorious
bodies, and prepared to administer as much to their happiness,
as the bodies of the wicked will be to administer to their misery.
We may, with good reason, suppose the accession of hap-
piness to the souls of the saints will be great, since the occasion
is represented as the marriage of the church and the Lamb^
Rev. xix. 7. The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife
hath made herself ready. Their joy will then be increased,
404 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
because Ihey will have new arguments of joy. The body ot
Christ will then be perfect, the church will be complete : all
the parts of it will have come into existence, which will not be
the Case before the end of the world : no parts of it will be
under sin or affliction : all the members of it will be in a per-
fect state; and they shall all be together b^ themselves, none
being mixed with ungodly men. Then the church will be as a
bride, adorned for her husband, and, therefore, she will exceed-
ingly rejoice.
Then, also, the Mediator will have fully accomplished his
work. He will then have destroyed, and will triumph over, all
his enemies. Then Christ will have fully obtained his reward,
and fully accomplished the design which was in his heart from
all eternity. For these reasons, Christ himself will greatly re-
joice, and his members must needs proportionably rejoice with
him. Then God will have obtained the end of all the great
works, which he hath been doing from the beginning of the
world. All the designs of God will be unfolded in their events ;
then his marvellous contrivance in his hidden, intricate, and
inexplicable works, will appear, the ends being obtained. Then
the works of God being perfected, the divine glory will more
abundantly appear. These things will cause a great accession
of happiness to the saints, who shall behold them. Then God
will have fully glorified himself, his Son, and his elect; then
he will see that all is very good, and will entirely rejoice in his
own works. At the same time, the saints, also, viewing the
works of God brought thus to perfection, will rejoice in the
view, and receiye from it a large accession of happiness.
Then God will make more abundant manifestations of his
glory, and of the glory of his Son ; then he will more plentifully
pour out his spirit, and make answerable additions to the glory
of the saints ; and, by means of all these, will so increase the
happiness of the saints, as shall be suitable to the commence-
ment of the ultimate and most perfect state of things, and to
such a joyful occasion, the completion of all things. In this
glory and happiness, will the saints remain for ever and ever.
SECT. VII.
The uses to which this doctrine is applicable,
I. The Jirst use proper to be made of this doctrine, is of
instruction. Hence many of the mysteries of Divine Providence
may be unfolded. There are many things in the dealings of
God towards the children of men, which appear very mysteri-
ous, if we view them without having an eye to this last judg-
ment, which, yet, if we consider this judgment, have no diffi-
cultv in them. As,
SER. viH. The uses of this doctrine. 405
1. That God suffers the wicked to live and prosper in the
world. The infinitely holy and wise Creator and Governor of
the world, must necessaril) hate wickedness; yet we see many
wicked men spreading themselves as a green bay-tree ; they
live with impunity; things seem to go well with them, and the
world smiles upon theui. Many who have not been fit to live,
who have held God and religion in the greatest contempt, who
have been open enemies to all that is good; who, b_y their
wickedness, have been the pests of mankind; many cruel ty-
rants, whose barbarities have been such as would even fill one
with horror to hear or read of them; yet have lived in great
wealth and outward glory ; have reigned over great and mighty
kingdoms and empires, and have been honoured as a sort of
earthly gods.
Now. it is very mysterious, that the holy and righteous Go-
vernor of the world, whose eye beholds all the children of men,
should suffer it so to be, unless we look forward to the day of
judgment ; and then the mystery is unravelled. For, although
God, for the present, keeps silence, and seems to let them alone,
yet then he will give suitable manifestations of his displeasure
against their wickedness ; they shall then receive condign pu-
nishment. The saints under the Old Testament were much
stumbled at these dispensations of Providence, as you may see
in Job, ch. xxi. and Psal. Ixxiii. and Jer. ch. xii. The difficulty
to them was so great, because, then, a future state, and a day of
judgment, were not revealed with that clearness with which
they are now.
2. God sometimes suffers some of the best of men to be
in great affliction, poverty, and persecution. The wicked rule,
while thei/ are subject; the wicked are the head, and they are
the. tail; the wicked domineer, while they serve, and are op-
pressed, yea are trampled under their feet, as the mire of the
streets. These things are very common, yet they seem to imply
great confusion. When the wicked are exalted to power and
authority, and the godly are oppressed by them, things are quite
out of joint : Prov. xx. 26. Jl righteotis man falling down be-
fore the wicked, is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
Sometimes, one wicked man makes many hundreds, yea thou-
sands, of precious saints, a sacrifice to his lust and cruelty, or
to his enmity against virtue and the truth, and puts them to death
for no other reason but that for which they are especially to be
esteemed and commended.
Now, if we look no further than to the present state, these
things appear strange and unaccountable. But we ought not to
confine our views within such narrow limits. When God shall
have put an end to the present state, these things shall all be
brought to rights. Though God suffers things (o be so for the
present, yet they shall not proceed in this course alway ; com-
106 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
paratively speaking, the present state of things is hut for amo-
vient. When all shall be settled and fixed by a divine judg-
ment, the righteous shuli be exalted, honoured, and rewarded,
and the wicked shall be depressed, and put under their (eet.
However the wicked now prevail against the righteous, }et the
righteous shall, at iasi, liave the ascendant, shall come oti con-
querors, and shall see the just vengeance of God executed upon
those who now hate and persecute them.
3. It is another ni_yster^ of providence, that God suffers
so much pubnc injustice to take place m the world. There
are not oniy private wrongs, which in this state pass unsettled,
but man} public wrongs, wrongs done b) men acting in a pub-
lic character, and wrongs which atiiect nations, kingdoms, and
other public bodies of men. Many suffer by men in public
offices, from whom there is no refuge, from whose decisions
there is no appeal. Now it seems a master}, that these things
are tolerated, when he that is rightfully the Supreme Judge and
Governor of the world is perfectly just; but, at the tinal judg-
ment, all these wrongs shall be adjusted j as well as those of a
more private nature.
11. Our second use of this subject shall be to apply it to the
awakening of sinners. You that have not the fear of God before
your eyes, that are not afraid to sin against him, consider serious-
ly what you have heard concerning the day of judgment. Al-
though these things be now future ai:d unseen, yet the} are real
and certain. If }ou now be left- to yourselves, if God keep si-
lence, and judgment be not speedily executed, it is not because
God is regardless how you live, and how you behave yourselves.
Now indeed God is invisible to }ou, and his wrath is invisible;
but at the day of judgment, you yourselves shall see him with
your bodily eyes : you shall not then be able to keep out of his
sight, or to avoid seeing him: Rev. i. 7. "Behold he cometh
with clouds ; and every eye shall see him, and they also which
pierced him : and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of
him." You shall see him coming in the clouds of heaven ; your
ears shall hear the last trumj/et, that dreadful sound, the voice
of the archangel; your eyes shall see your judge sitting on the
throne, they shall see those manifestations of wrath which there
will be in his countenance ; your ears shall hear him pronounce
the sentence.
Seriously consider, if you live in the ways of sin, and ap-
pear at that day with the guilt of it upon you, how you will be
able to endure the sight or the hearing of these things, and whe-
ther horror and amazement will not be likely to seize you, when
you shall see the (Udiie descending, and hear the tnimp of God.
What account will you be able to give, when it shall be inquired
of you, why you led such a sinful wicked life? What will you
be able to say for yourselves, when it shall be asked, why you
SER. viii. 'tht uses of this doctrine, 407
neglected such and such particular duties, as the duty of secret
prayer, for instance ? or why you have habitually practised such
and such particular ains or lusts ? Althouiih you be so careless
of your conduct and manner of life, make so li^ht of sin, and
proceed in it so freely, with little or no dread or remorse : yet
you must give an account of every sin that you commit, of every
idle word that you speak, and of every sinful thought of your
hearts. Every time you deviate from the rules of justice, of
temperance, or of charity ; every time you indulge any lust,
whether secretly or openly, you must give an account of it : it
will never be forgotten, it stands written in that book which
will be opened on that day.
Consider the rule you will be judged by. It is the perfect
rule of the divine law, which is exceeding strict, and exceeding
broad. And how will you ever be able to answer the demands
of this law ? — Consider also,
1. That the judge will be your supreme judge. You will
have no opportunity to appeal from his decision. This is often
the case in this world ; when we are dissatisfied with the deci-
sions of a judge, we often may appeal to a higher, a more know-
ing, or a more just judicatory. But no such appeal can be made
from our Divine Judge ; no such indulgence will be allowed :
or if it were allowed, there is no superior judjie to whom the ap-
peal should be made. By his decision, therefoi e, you must abide.
2. The judge will be omnipotent. Were he a mere man,
like yourselves, however he might judge and determine, you
might resist, and by ihe help of others, if not b_y yo r own
strength, prevent or elude the execution of the judgment. But
the judge being omnipotent, this is utterly impossible. In vain
is all resistance, either by yourselves, or by whatever help you
can obtain: ""Though hand join in hand, the wicked "hall not
be unpunished," Prov. xi. 21. As well might you " set the
briers and thorns in battle against God." Isa. xxvii. 4.
3. The judge will be inexorable. Human judges may be
prevailed upon to reverse their sentence, or at least to remit
somethingof its severity. But in vain will be all your entreaties,
all your cries and tears to this effect, with the great Judge of
the world. Now indeed he inclines his ear, and is ready to hear
the prayers, cries, and entreaties of all mankind ; but then the
day of grace will be past, and the door of merc> be shut : then
although ye spread forth your hands, yet the judge will hide his
eyes from you ; yea, though \e make many prayers, he will not
hear: Isa. i. 15. Then the judge will deal in fury : his eye
shall not spare, neither will he have pity: and though ye cry
in his ears with a loud voice, yet will he not hear you : Ezeko
viii. t8. And you will find no place of repentance in God,
though ye seek it carefully with tears.
408 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
4. The Judge at that time will not mix mercy with justice.
The time for mtrcy to be shown to sinners will then be past.
Christ will then appear in another character than that of the
merciful Saviour. Having laid aside the invitnig attributes of
grace and mercy, he will clothe himself with justice and ven-
geance- He will not only, in general, exact of sinners the de-
mands of the law, but he will exact the whole, without any
abatement : he will exact the very uttermost farthing. Matt. v.
26. Then Christ will come to fulfil that in Rev. xiv. 10. '' The
same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation."
The punishment threatened to ungodly men is without any pity :
see Ezek. v. 11." Neither shall niine eye spare ; neither will I
have any pity." Here all judgments have a mixture of mercy;
but the wrath of God will be poured out upon the wicked with-
out mixture, and vengeance will have its full weight.
111. 1 shall apply myse\( thirdly, to several different cha-
racters of men.
1. To those who live in secret wickedness. Let such
consider, that for all these things God will bring them into
judgment. Secrecy is your temptation. Promising yourselves
this, you practise many things, you indulge many lusts, under
the covert of darkness, and in secret corners, which you would
be ashamed to do in the light of the sun, and before the world.
But this temptation is entirely groundless. All your secret
abominations are even now perfectly known to God, and will
also hereafter be made known both to angels and men . Luke
xii. 2, 3. " For there is nothing covered, that shall not be reveal-
ed ; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore what-
soever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light :
and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be
proclaimed upon the house tops."
Before human judges are brought only those things which
are known ; but before this judji,e shall be brought the most
hidden things of darkness, and even the counsels of the heart,
1 Cor. iv. 5. All your secret uncleanness, all }our secret fraud
and injustice, all your lascivious desires, wishes, and designs,
all your inward covetonsness, which is idolatry, all your mali-
cious, envious, and revengeful thoughts and purposes, whether
brought forth into practice or not, shall then be made manifest,
and you shall be judged according to them. Of these things,
however secret, there will be need of no other evidence than
the testimony of God and of your own consciences.
2. To such as are not just and upright in their dealings
with theii fellow men. Consider that all your dealings with
men must be tried, must be brought forth into judgment, and
there compared with the rules of the word of God. All your
actions must be judged according to those things which are
#ER. via. The uses of this doctrine. 409
found written in the book of the word of God. If your ways
of deahng with men shall not agree with those rules of righte-
ousness, they will be condemned. Now, the word of God
directs us to practise entire justice; That which is altogether
just shalt thou follow, Deut. xvi. 20. and to do to others as we
would they should do to us. Bui how many are there, whose
dealings with their fellow-men, if strictly tried by these rules,
v;ould not stand the test ?
God hath in his word, forbidden all deceit and fraud in our
dealings one with another, Lev. xi. 13. He hath forbidden us
to oppress one another, Lev. xxv. 14. But how frequent are
practices contrary to those rules, and which will not bear to be
tried by them? How common are fraud and trickishness in
trade ? How' will men endeavour to lead on those with whom
they trade in th3 dark, that so they may make their advantage ?
Yea, lying in trading is too common a thing among us. How
common are such things as that mentioned, Prov. xx. 14. It is
nought^ it is nought, saith the buyer ; but when he is gone his way.;
then he hoastelh.
Many men will take the advantage of another's ignorance
to advance their own gain, to his wrong; yea, they seem not
to scruple such practices. Beside downright lying, men have
many ways of blinding and deceiving one another in trade,
which are by no means right in the sight of God, and will ap-
pear to be very unjust, when they shall be tried by the rule of
God's word at the day of judgment. And how common a
thing is oppression or extortion, in taking any advantage that
men can by any means obtain, to get the utmost possible of
their neighbour for what they have to dispose of, and their
neighbour needs !
Let such consider, that there is a God in heaven, who be-
holds them, and sees how they conduct themselves in their
daily traffic with one another ; and that he will try their works
another day. Justice shall assuredly take place at last. The
righteous Governor of the world will notsuffer injustice without
control ; he will control and rectify it, by returning the injury
upon the head of the injurer : Matt. vii. 2. With what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3. To those who plead for the lawfulness of practices
generally condemned by God's people. You who do this, con-
sider that your practices must be tried at the day of judgmento
Consider, whether or no they are likely to be approved by the
most holy judge at that day: Prov. v. 21. The ways of man
are before the eyes of the Lord ; and he pondereth all his goings^
However, by your carnal reasonings, you may deceive your own
hearts, yet you will not be able to deceive the Judge, he will
not hearken to your excuses, but will try your ways by the rule ;
he will know whether they be straight or crooked.
Vol. VT. 52
Ill) PRACTICAL SERMONS.
When you plead for these and those liberties which yoif
take, let it be considered, whether the} be likely to be allowed
of by the Judge at the last great day. Will the} bear to be
tried by his eyes, which are purer than to behold evil, and can-
not look on iniquity ?
4. To those who are wont to excuse their wickedness. —
Will the excuses which you make for yourselves be accepted
at the day of judgment ? If you excuse yourselves to your own
consciences, by saying, that you were under such and such
temptations which you could not withstand ; that corrupt na-
ture prevailed, and you could not overcome it ; that it would
have been so and so to your damage, if you had done otherwise ;
that if you had done such a duty, you would have brought your-
selves into difficulty, would have incurred the displeasure of
such and such friends, or would have been despised and laugh-
ed at; or, if you say, you did no more than it was the common
custom to do, no more than many godly men have done, no
more than certain .persons of good reputation now practice ;
that if you had done otherwise, you would have been singular^
if these be your excuses for the sins which you commit, or for
the duties which you neglect, let me ask you, will they appear
sufficient when they shall be examined at the day of judgment ?
5. To those who live in impenitence and unbelief. There
are some persons who live in no open vice, and, perhaps, con-
scientiously avoid secret immorality, who yet live in impeni-
tence and unbelief. They are, indeed, called upon to repent
and believe the gospel, to forsake their evil ways and thoughts,
and to return to God, that he may have mercy on them ; to
come unto Christ, labouring, and heavy-laden with sin, that
they may obtain rest of him ; and are assured, that if they be-
lieve, they shall be saved; and that if they believe not, they shall
be damned; and all the most powerful motives are set before
them, to induce them to comply with these exhortations, espe-
cially those drawn from the eternal world ; yet they persist in
sin, they remain impenitent and unhumbled ; they will not come
unto Christ, that they may have life.
Now, such men shall be brought into judgment for their
conduct, as well as more gross sinners. Nor will they be any
more able to stand in the judgment than the other. They re-
sist the most powerful means of grace ; go on in sin against the
clear light of the gospel ; refuse to hearken to the kindest calls
and invitations ; reject the most amiable Saviour, the Judge
himself; and despise the free offers of eternal life, glory, and fe-
licity. And how will they be able to answer for these things at
the tribunal of Christ ?
IV. If there be a day of judgment appointed, then let all
be very strict in trying their own sincerit}. God, on that day,
will discover (he secrets of all hearts. The judgment of that
sER. vxu. The- uses of this docirmc ''• H
day will be like the fire, which burns up whatsoever is not true
gold ; wood, hay, stubble, and dross, shall be all consumed by
the scorching fire of that day. The judge will be like a refi-
ner's fire, and fuller's soap, which will cleanse away all filthi-
ness, however it maybe coloured over : Mai. iii. 2. "Who
may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when
he appeareth? for he is like a refi.ier's fire, and like fuller's
soap;" and chap. iv. 1 — "'For behold the day cometh that
shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn
them up, saith the Lord of hosts."
There are multitudes of men, that wear the guise of saints,
appear like saints, and their state, both in their own eyes, and
in the eyes of their neighbours, is good. They have sheep's
clothing. But no disguise can hide them from the eyes of the
Judge of the world. His eyes are as a flame of fire : they
search the hearts, and try the reins of the children of men.
He will see whether they be sound at heart ; he will see from
what principles they have acted. A fair show will, in no de-
gree, deceive him, as it doth men in the present state. It will
signify nothing to say, " Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy
presence ; and in thy name have we cast out devils, and in thy
name have done many wonderful works." It will signify nothing
to pretend to a great deal of comfort and joy, and to the experi-
ence of great religious affections, and to your having done many
things in religion and morality, unless you have some greater
evidences of sincerity.
Wherefore, let every one take heed that he be not deceiv-
ed concerning himself; and that he depend not on that which
will not bear examination at the day of judgment. Be not
contented with this, that you have the judgment of men, the
judgment of godly men, or that of ministers, in your favour.
Consider, that they are not to be your judges at last. Take
occasion, frequently, to compare your hearts with the word of
God ; that is the rule by which you are to be finally tried and
judged. And try yourselves by your works, by which, also, you
must be tried at last. Inquire whether you lead holy Christian
lives, whether you perform universal and unconditional obedi-
ence to all God's commands, and whether you do it from a truly
gracious respect to God.
Also frequently beg of God, the judge, that he would search
you, try you now, and discover you to yourselves, that you may
see if you be insincere in religion ; and that he would lead you
in the way everlasting. Beg of God, that if you be not upon a
good foundation, he would unsettle you, and fix you upon the
sure foundation. The example of the Psalmist in this is worthy
of imitation : Psal. xxvi. 1, 2. ''Judge me, O Lord, examine
me, and prove me ; try my reins and mine heart ;" and Psal.
-112 i'RACTfCAL 8ERM0XS.
csxxix. 23, 24. " Search me, O God, and know my heart : li -.
me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." God will
search us hereafter, and discover what we are, both to ourselves
and to all the world ; let us pray that he would search us, and
discover our hearts to us now. We have need of divine help
in this matter; for the heart is deceitful above all things.
v. If God hath appointed a day to judge the world, let us
judge and condemn ourselves for our sins. This we must do, if
we would not be judged and condemned for them on that day.
If we would escape condemnation, we must see that we justly
may be condemned ; we must be so sensible of our vileness and
guilt, as to see that we deserve all that condemnation and
punishment which are threatened ; and that we are in the hands
of God, who is the sovereign disposer of us, and will do with us
as seemeth to himself good. Let us therefore often reflect on
our sins, confess them before God, condemn and abhor our-
selves, be truly humbled, and repent in dust and ashes.
VI. If these things be so, let us by no means be forward to
judge others. Some are forward to judge others, to judge their
hearts both in general and upon particular occasions, to deter-
mine as to the principles, motives and ends of their actions.
But this is to assume the province of God, and to set up our-
selves as lords and judges. Rom. xiv. 4. "Who art thou, that
thou judgest another man's servant?" James iv. 11. "Speak
not evil one of another, brethren.'" He that speaketh evil of his
brother and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law,
and judgeth the law." To be thus disposed to judge and act
censoriously towards others, is the way to be judged and con-
demned ourselves. Matt. vii. 1,2." Judge not that ye be not
judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged :
and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again."
VII. This doctrine affords matter of great consolation to the
godly. This day of judgment, which is so terrible to ungodly
men, affords no ground of terror to you, but abundant ground of
joy and satisfaction. For though you now meet with more af-
fliction and trouble than most wicked men, yet on that day you
shall be delivered from all afflictions, and from all trouble. If
you be unjustly treated by wicked men, and abused by them,
what a comfort is it to the injured, that they may appeal to God,
who judgeth righteously. The Psalmist used often to comfort
himself with this.
Upon these accounts the saints have reason to love the ap-
pearing of Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. iv- 8. " Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the
righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only,
but to all those that love his appearing.'' This is to the saints
6ER. viii. The uses of this doctrine. 413
a blessed hope. Tit. ii. 13. " Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour
Jesus Christ." This day may well be the object of their eager
desire, and when they hear of Christ's coming to judgiuent, they
may well say, Even so come, Lord Jesus Rev. xxii. 20. It will
be the most glorious day that ever the saint? saw ; it will be so
both to those who shall die, and whose souls shall go to heaven,
and to those vvho shall then be found alive on earth : it will be
the wedding-day of the church. Surely then in the conside-
ration of the approach of this day, there is ground of great con-
solation to the saints.
SERMON IX.
SELF- FLATTERIES ; — OR, THE VAIN SELF-FLATTERIES
OF THE SINNER.
Psal. xxxvi. 2.
FoT he Jlattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity ht
found to be hateful.
In the foregoing verse, David says, " The transgression of
the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God
before his eyes :" that is, when he saw that the wicked went
on in sill, in an allowed way of wickedness, it convinced him
that they were not afraid of those terrible judgments, and of
that wrath with which God hath threatened sinners. If the
sinner were afraid of these, he could never go on so securely
in sin as he doth.
It was a strange thing that men, who enjoyed such light
as they did in the land of Israel, who read and heard those
nianv awful threatenings which were written in the book of
the law, should not be afraid to go on in sin. But, saith the
Psalmist, They flatter themselves in their own eyes : they have
something or other which they make a foundation of encou-
ragement, whereby they persuade themselves that they shall
escape those judgments : and that makes them put far away
the evil day.
In this manner the sinner proceeds, until his iniquity he
found to be hateful; that is, until he finds by experience that
it is a more dreadful thing to sin against God, and break his
holy commands, than he imagined. He thinks sin to be sweet,
and hides it as a sweet morsel under his tongue ; he loves it
SEB. IX. Sinners hope for Impunity 415
and flatters himself in it, till at length he finds by experience,
that it is bitter as gall and wormwood. Though he thinks the
commission of sin to be lovely, yet he will find the fruit of it
to be hateful, and what he cannot endure. Prov. xxiii. 32.
" At last it will bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder."
Here observe, the subject spoken of is the wicked man, of
whom the Psalmist had been speaking in the foregoing verse.
His action m flattering himself in his own eyes ; i. e. he makes
himself and his case to appear to himself, or in his own eyes,
better than it is.
How long he continues so to do, until his iniquity he found
to be hateful. Which may be taken for, either his sin itself
as the wicked will see how odious sin is to God, when he shall
feel the effects of his hatred, and how hateful to angels and
saints ; or rather, the cause is here put for the effect, the tree
for its fruit, and he will find his iniquity to be hateful, as he
will find the hatefulness and feel the terribleness of the fruit
of his iniquity. Hence it appears, that Wicked men generally
flatter themselves with hopes of escaping punishment, till it ac-
tually comes upon them.
There are but few sinners who despair, who give up the
cause, and conclude within themselves, that they shall go to
hell ; yet there are but few who do not go to hell. It is to be
feared that men go to hell every day out of this country ; yet
very few of them suffer themselves to believe, that they are in
any great danger of that punishment. They go on sinning, and
thus travelling in the direct road to the pit; yet they persuade
themselves that they shall never fall into it.
SECT. L
Sinners flatter themselves with the hope of impunity.
We are so taught in the word of God, Deut. xxix. 18, 19<^
" Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family,
or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord ouf
God. Lest there should be among you a root that beareth
gall and wormwood, and it come to pass when he heareth the
words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I
shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine
heart, to add drunkenness to thirst.'' Where it is supposed,
that they whose hearts turn away from God, and are roots that
bear gall and wormwood, generally bless themselves in their
hearts, saying. We shall have peace.
See also Psalm xlix, 17, 18. "When he dieth, he shall
carry nothing away : his glory shall not descend after him,
though, whilst he Uved, he blessed his soul.'''' And Psalm 1. 21.
" These things thou hast done, and ! kept silence ; thou
416 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself:
but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine
eyes."
It is very evident, that sinners flatter themselves that
they shall escape punishment, otherwise they would be in
dreadful and continual distress ; they could never live so cheer-
fully as they now do. Their lives would be filled with sorrow
and mourning, and they would be in continual uneasiness and
distress, as much as those that are exercised with some violent
pain of body. But it is apparent that men are careless and
secure ; they are not much concerned about future punish-
ment, and they cheerfully pursue their business and recreations.
Therefore they undoubtedly flatter themselves, that they shall
not be eternally miserable in hell, as they are threatened in the
word of God.
It is evident that they flatter themselves with hopes that
they shall escape punishment, otherwise they would certainly
be restrained, at least from many of those sins in which they
now live : they would not proceed in wilful courses of sin.
The transgression of the wicked convinced the Psalmist, and is
enough to convince every one, that there is no fear of God
before his eyes, and that he flatters himself in his own eyes. It
would be impossible for men allowedly to do those very things
which they know are threatened with everlasting destruction, if
they did not some way encourage themselves they should
nevertheless escape that destruction-
SECT. II. •'
Some of the various Ways wherein Sinners flatter themselves
in their own Eyes.
1. Some flatter themselves with a secret hope, that there
is no such thing as another world. They hear a great deal
of preaching, and a great deal of talk about hell, and the
eternal jndgment ; but those things do not seem to them to be
real. They never saw hell, nor the devils and damned spirits ;
and therefore are ready to say within themselves, How do I
know that there is any such thing as another world ? When
the beasts die, there is an end of them, and how do I know
but that it will be so with me ! Perhaps all these things are
nothing but the inventions of men, nothing but cunningly-devised
fables.
Such thoughts are apt to rise in the minds of sinners, and
the devil sets in to enforce them. Such thoughts are an ease
to them ; therefore they wish they were true, and that makes
them the more ready to think that they are so. So that they
are hardened in the way of sin, by infidelity and atheistical
thoughts. Psalm xiv. 1. "The fool hath said in his heart.
SEE. IX. Various zoays of self -flattery. 417
There is no God.'' Psalm xciv. G, 7. " They slay the widow
and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say,
The Lord shall not see 5 neither shall the God of Jacob
regard it."
2. Some flatter themselves, that death is a great way off,
and that they shall, hereafter, have much opportunity to seek
salvation ; and they think, if they earnestly seek it, though it be
a great while hence, they shall obtain. Although they see no
reason to conclude that they shall live long, and perhaps they
do not positively conclude that they shall, yet it doth not come
into their minds, that their lives are really uncertain, and that
it is doubtful whether they will live another year. Such a
thought as this doth not take any hold of them. And, although
they do not absolutely determine that they shall live to old age,
or to middle age, yet they secretly flatter themselves with such
an imagination. They are disposed to believe so, they act upon
it, and run the venture.
Men believe, that things will be as they choose to have
them, without reason, and sometimes without the appearance
of reason, as is most apparent in this case. Psalm xlix. 12.
"Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for
ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations ; they call
their lands after their own names." — The prepossession and
desire of men to have it so, is the principal thing that makes
them so believe. However, there are several other things
which they use as arguments to flatter themselves. Perhaps
they think, that since they are at present in health, or in youth,
or that since they are useful men, do a great deal of good, and
both themselves and others pray for the continuance of their
lives ; they are not likely to be removed by death very soon. —
If they live many years in the world, they think it very proba-
ble that they shall be converted before they die : as they expect,
hereafter, to have much more convenient opportunities to be-
come converted, than they have now. And, by some means or
other, they think they shall get through their work before they
arrive at old age.
3. Some flatter themselves, that they lead moral and order-
ly lives, and therefore think that they shall not be damned. — -
They think, within themselves, that they live not in any vice,
that they take care to wrong no man, are just and honest deal-
ers ; that they are not addicted to hard drinking, or to unclean-
ness, or to bad language ; that they keep the Sabbath strictly 5
are constant attendants on the public worship, and maintain the
worship of God in their families. Therefore, they hope, that
God will not cast them into hell. They see not why God
should be so angry with them as that would imply, seeing they
are so orderly and regular in their walk ! they see not that they
have done enough to anger him to that degree. And if they
Vol. Vf, ri3
418 PBACTICAL. SERMONS.
have angered him, they imagine they have also done a great
deal to pacify him.
If they be not as yet converted, and it be necessary that
they should experience any other conversion, in order to their
salvation, they hope thai iheir orderly and strict lives will move
God to give them converting grace. The^ hope, that surely
God will not see those, that live as they do, go to hell. Thus
they flatter themselves, as those (Luke xviii. 9.) " that trusted
in themselves that they were righteous."
4. Some make the advantages under which they live an
occasion of self-flattery. They flatter themselves, that they
live in a place where the gospel is powerfully preached, and
among a religious people, where many have been converted 5
and they think it will be much easier for them to be saved on
that account. Thus they abuse the grace of God to their de-
struction ; they do that which the scriptures call despising the
riches of God^s goodness ; Rom. ii. 4. " Or despisest thou the
riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering ;
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repent-
ance ?"
Some flatter themselves, that they are born of godly pa-
rents, who are dear to God, who have often and earnestly
prayed for them, and hope that their prayers will be heard ; '
and that encourages them to go on in the way of neglecting
their souls. The Jews had great dependence upon this, that
they were the children of Abraham ; John viii. 33, they make
their boast, " We be Abraham's seed;" and in verse 39, "Abra-
ham is our father."
5. Some flatter themselves with their own intentions*
They intend to give themselves liberty for a while longer, and
then to reform. Though now they neglect their souls, and are
going on in sin, yet they intend, ere long, to bestir themselves,
to leave off their sins, and to set themselves to seek God.
They hear that there is great encouragement for those who
earnestly seek God, that they shall find him. So they intend
to do ; they propose to seek with a great deal of earnestness.
They are told, that there are many who seek to enter the king-
dom of heaven, who shall not be able ; but they intend, not
only to seek, but to strive. However, for the present, they al-
low themselves in their ease, sloth, and pleasure, minding only
earthly things.
Or, if they should be seized with some mortal distemper,
and should draw near to the grave, before the time which they
lay out in their minds for reformation, they think how earnestly
they would pray and cry to God for mercy : and, as they hear
God is a merciful God, who taketh no delight in the death of
sinners, they hence flatter themselves that they shall move God
to have pity on them.
i
i
SRE. IX. Varimis -ways of self-Jiattcn/. 119
There are but few sinners, knowing themselves to be such,
who have not intentions of future repentance and reformation ;
but few who do not flatter themselves, that they shall in good
earnest seek God some time or other. Hell is full of good in-
tenders, who never proved to be true perfo7'mers : Acts xxiv.
25. " Go thy way for this time ; when I have a convenient sea-
son, I will call for thee."
6. There are some who flatter themselves, that (hey do,
and have done, a great deal for their salvation, and therefore
hope they shall obtain ; when indeed they neither do what they
ought to do, nor what they might do even in their present state
of unregeneracy ; nor are they in any likely way to be con-
verted. They think they are striving, when they actually neg-
lect many moral and some instituted duties ; nor do they exert
themselves as if it were for their lives ; they are not violent for
the kingdom of heaven.
There are doubtless many such ; many arc concerned, and
are seeking, and do many things^ and think that they are in a
very fair way to obtain the kingdom of God ; yet there is great
danger that they will prove at last to be some of the foolish
virgins, and be found without oil in their vessels.
7. Some hope by their strivings to obtain salvation of
themselves. They have a secret imagination, that they shall
by degrees, work in themselves sorrow and repentance of sin,
and love towards God and Jesus Christ. Their striving is
not so much an earnest seeking to God. as a striving to do
themselves that which is the work of God. Many who are
now seeking have this imagination ; they labour, read, pray,
hear sermons, and go to private meetings, with the view of
making themselves holy, and of working in themselves holy
affections.
Many who only project and design to turn to God here-
after, are apt to think that it is an easy thing to be converted ;
that it is a thing which will be in their own power at any time,
when they shall earnestly set themselves to it.
8. Some sinners flatter themselves, that they are already
converted. They sit down and rest in a false hope, persuad-
ing themselves that all their sins are pardoned : that God loves
them ; that they shall go to heaven when they die ; and that
they need trouble themselves no more : Rev. iii. 17. " Because
thou sayest, 1 am rich, and increased with goods, and have need
of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and mi-
serable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
Sinners very generally go on flattering themselves in some
or other of these ways, till their punishment actually overtakes
them These are the baits by which Satan catches souls, and
draws them into his snare. They are such self-flatteries as
these that keep men from seeing their danger, and that make
420 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
them go oil securely, "as the bird hasteth to the snare, and
kno^vcth not that it is for his life."
Those that flatter themselves with hopes of living a great
while longer in the world, very commonly continue to do so
fill death comes. Death comes upon them when thev expect
it not; they look upon it as a great way off when there is
but a step between. They thought not of dying at that
time, nor at any time near it. When they were young they
proposed to live a good while longer; and if they happen to
live till middle age, they still maintain the same thought, that
they are not yet near death , and so that thought goes along
with them as long as they live, or till they are just about
to die.
Men often have a dependence on their own righteousness,
and as long as they live are never brought off from it. Mul-
titudes uphold themselves with their own intentions, till all
their prospects are dashed in pieces by death. They put off
the work which they have to do till such a time ; and when that
comes, they put it off to another time ; until death, which can-
not be put off, overtakes them. There are many also that hold
a false hope, a persuasion that they belong to God ; and as long
as they live, by all the marks and signs which are given of a
true convert they never will be persuaded to let go their hope,
till it is rent from them by death.
Thus men commonly uphold themselves, and make them-
selves easy, till hell-fire makes them uneasy. Everlasting ruin
comes upon them as a snare, and all their hopes are at once
cut off, and turned into everlasting despair: 1 Thess. v. 3.
" When they shall say. Peace and safety ; then sudden des-
truction Cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ;
and they shall not escape.
SECT. III.
The subject applied.
1. Hence we learn. one reason why there are but few sa-
ved, and why so many perish from under the gospel. All men
know that they must die, and all that sit under the light of the
gospel have been told many a time, that after this there is
another world ; that there are but two states in that other
world — a state of eternal happiness, and a state of eternal mise-
ry— that there is but one way of escaping the misery and ob-
taining the blessedness of eternity, which is by obtaining an in-
terest in Christ, through faith in him ; and that this life is the
only opportunity of obtaining an interest in Christ. Yet men
are so much given to flatter themselves in those ways which we
aER. IX. The subject applied. 4'il
have mentioned, that there are but few that seasonably take care
of their salvation. Indeed they cannot but be in some mea-
sure concerned about their souls ; yet they flatter themselves
with one thing or other, so that they are kept steadily and un-
interruptedly going on in the broad way to destruction.
2. Hence we may learn the reason why awakening truths of
scripture, and awakening sermons, make no more imprei^sion
upon men. It is in itself a wonderful and t^urprising thing, that
God's denunciations of eternal misery, and threalenings of
casting sinners into the lake that burneth with fire and brim-
stone forever and ever, do not affect them, do not startle them.
The truth is, they flatter themselves, by such means as we
have mentioned, that this dreadful misery is not for them ; that
ihe>/ shall escape it, though multitudes of others are involved
in it. They take not these threatenings to themselves ; they
seem to think that they do not belong to them.
How many are there, who, for all the awakening sermons
they have heard, are yet secure in sin ! and who, altiiough they
are sensible that they are in a Christless condition, and are
still going on in sin, yet intend to go to heaven, and expect
that by some means or other they shall arrive there. They
are often told, that God is very angry with them : yet they
think God is a very merciful God, and they shall be able to
pacify him. If they be told how uncertain life is, that doth not
awaken them, because they flatter themselves with long life.
If they be told how dangerous it is to delay the business of
religion, they promise themselves, that they will hereafter en-
gage in it with more earnestness than others, and so obtain the
end, the salvation of their souls. Others, when they are told
that many shall seek who shall not be able to obtain, think,
surely, that they, having done so much for salvation, shall not
be denied;
3. Let every sinner examine, whether he do not flatter
himself in some of those ways which have been mentioned.
What is it in your own minds which makes you think it is safe
for you to delay turning to God ? What is it that encourages
you to run such a venture as you do, by delaying this necessary
work? Is it that you hope there is no such state as heaven or
hell, and have a suspicion that there is no God ? Is it this
that makes you secure? or is it that you are not much afraid
but that you shall have opportunity enough a great while
hence to mind such things ? Is it an intention of a future seek-
ing at a more convenient season ? and are you persuaded that
God will hearken to you then, after you shall have so long
turned a deaf ear to his commands and gracious invitations ?
Are you encouraged to commit sin, because you hope to repent
of it ? Are you encouraged by the mercy of God to be his
i22 VRACTICAL SERMONS.
enemies ? and do you resolve still to provoke him to anger, be-
cause you think he is easily pacified ?
Or do you think that your conversion is in your own
power, and thit you can turn to God when you please ? Is
it becauf«e you have been born of godly parent?., that you are
so secure? or do you imat^ine that you are in a fair way to be
converted? Do you think that what you have done in religion
will engage God to pity you, and that he never can have the
heart to coridemn one who has lived in so orderly a manner?
or do you think that you are indeed converted already ? and
doth that enco+irasie you to take a liberty in sinning? Or are
you secure, because you are so stupid as to think nothing about
these things ? Do you let these concerns wholly alone, and
scarcely ever think at all how it will be with you after you
are dead? — Certainly it must be one or more of these things
which keeps you in your security, and encourages you to go
on in sin. Examine, therefore, and see which of them it is.
4. Be persuaded to leave off thus flattering yourselves
in your own eyes. You are here informed, that those who
do as you do, commonly continue so doing till their punish-
ment actually comes upon them. Thereby you may be con-
vinced of the vanity of all such flatteries. Be afraid of that
which you are sure is the devil's bait: "Surely in vain is the
net spread in the sight of any bird." Prov. i. 17.
You are not only told in the scriptures, that sinners are
generally thus allured to hell, but your own reason may con-
vince you that it is so. For doubtless other sinners have as
much ground to hope an escape of punishment as you ; and it
is evident, that they generally do hope to escape. Men under
the gospel almost universally think they shall. not go to hell;
if it were otherwise, they could have no peace or comfort in
the world. Yet what multitudes have we reason to conclude
go dd.vvju from under the preaching of the gospel to the pit of
destrOfi^ion ! Now, this is surely enough to convince any sober
prudent person, of the folly of such fla'tery, and of the folly of
every one that doth not immediately set about this great work
with his might. If you could have access to the dam-
ned, you would hear many of them curse themselves, for thus
flattering themselves while they lived in this world ; and you
would have the same doctrine preached to you by their wail-
ings and yellings which is now delivered to you.
If your temptation to security be unbelief of the funda-
mental doctrines of religion, such as the being of God, of
another world, and an eternal judgment, you may consider,
that though that makes you secure at present, yet it will not do
always, it will not stand by you when you come to die. The
fool often in health saith, There is no God ; but when he comes
to die, he cannot rest in any such supposition. Then he is
SER. IX. The Subject applied. 423
generally so much convinced in his own conscience, that there
is a God, that he is in dreadful amazement for fear of his eter-
nal wrath. It is folly, therefore, to flatter yourselves with any
supposition now, which you will not then be able to hold. If
you depend on long life, consider how many who have depeiid-
ed on the same thing, and had as much reason to depend on it
as you, have died within your remembrance.
Is it because you are outwardly of an orderly life and con-
versation, that you think you shall be saved ? How unreasona-
ble is it to suppose that God should be so obliged by those
actions, which he knows are not done from the least respect or
regard to him, but wholly with a private view ! Is it because
you are under great advantages that you are not much afraid
but that you shall some time or other be converted, and there-
fore neglect yourselves and your spiritual interests ? And were
not the people of Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum, under
as great advantages as you, when Christ himself preached the
Gospel to them, almost continually, and wrought such a multi-
tude of miracles among them ? Yet he says, that it shall be
more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomor-
rah, than for those cities.
Do you expect you shall be saved, however you neglect your-
selves, because you were born of godly parents ? Hear what
Christ saith. Matt. iii. 9. " Think not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham to our father." Do you flatter yourselves
that you shall obtain nsercy, though others do not, because you
intend hereafter to seek it more earnestly than others ? Yet
you deceive yourselves, if you think that you intend better than
many of those others, or better than many who are now in hell
once intended.
If you think you are in a way ot earnest seeking, consider
whether or no you do not mind other things yet more ? If
you imagine that you have it in your own power to work your-
selves up to repentance, consider that you must assuredly give
up that imagination, before you can have repentance wrought in
you. If you think yourselves already converted, and that en-
courages you to give yourselves the greater liberty in sinning,
this is a certain sign that you are not converted.
Wherefore abandon all these ways of flattering yourselves,
no longer follow the devil's bait; and let nothing encourage you
to go on in sin ; but immediately and henceforth seek God with
all your heart, and soul, and strength.
Sermon x.^
WICKED MEN tJSEFFL IN THEIR DESTRUCTION ONLY
EzEK. XV. 2 — 4.
Son of mail. What is the vine-tree more than any tree, or than
a branch which is among the trees of the forest ? Shall wood
he taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin
of it to hang any vessel thereon ? Behold, it is cast into the
fire for fuel ; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the
midit of it is burnt ; is it meet for any work ?
The visible church of God is here compared to the vine-
tree, as is evident by God's own explanation of the allegory,
in ver. 6, 7, and 8. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, As
the vine-tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given
to the tire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem,"
&c. And it may be understood of mankind in general. So
Deut xxxii. 32. "Their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the
fields of Gomorrah : their grapes are grapes of gall." And
especially his professing people. Psalm Ixxx. 8. " Thou hast
brought a vine out of Egypt;" ver. 14. "'Look down from
heaven, behold, and visit this vine." And Cant ii. 15. " The
foxes that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes."
Isa. V. " My well-beloved hath a vineyard, and he planted it
with the rhoicest vine." Jer. ii. 21. "I had planted thee a no-
ble vine." Hos. x. .1 " Israel is an empty vine." So in chap.
XV. of John, visible Christians are compared to the branches of
a vine.
Man is very fitly represented by the vine. The weakness
and dependence of the vine on other things which support it,
well represents to us what a poor, feeble dependent creature
* Dated July, 1744.
SER. X. The wicked useful in their Destruction only. 425
man is, and how, if left to himself, he falls into mischief, and
cannot help himself. The visible people of God are fitlj com-
pared to a vine, because of the care and cultivation of the hus-
bandman or vme-dresser. The business of husbandmen in the
land of Israel was very much about vines ; and the care they
exercised to fence them, to defend them, to prune them, to prop
them up, and to cultivate them, well represented that merciful
care which God exercises towards his visible people.
In the words now read is represented, how wholly useless
and unprofitable, even beyond other trees, a vine is, in case of
unfruitfulness : " What is a vine-tree more than any tree, or
than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?" i. e. if
it do not bear fruit. Men make much more of a vine than of
other trees ; they take great care of it, to wall it in, to dig about
it, to prune it, and the like. It is much more highly esteemed
than one of the trees of the forest ; they are despised in com-
parison with it. And if it bear fruit, it is indeed much prefer-
able to other trees ; for the fruit of it yields a noble liquor; as
it is said in Jotham's parable, Judg. ix. 13. " And the vine said
unto them. Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and
man V — But if it bear no fruit it is more unprofitable than the
trees of the forest : for the wood of them is good for timber 5
but the wood of the vine is fit for no work ; as in the text,
"Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men
take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon ?" — The only thing
for which a vine is useful, in case of barrenness, is for fuel : " Be-
hold it is cast into the fire for fuel." It is wholly consumed ;
no part of it is worth a saving, to make any instrument of it,
for any work.
Doctrine. If men bring forth no fruit to God, they are
wholly useless, unless in their destruction.
For the proof of this doctrine, I shall show,
1 . That there can be but two ways in which man can be
useful, viz. either in acting, or in beijig acted upon.
2. That man can no otherwise be useful actively than by
bringing forth fruit to God.
3. That if he bring not forth fruit to God, there is no other
way in which he can be passively useful, but in being des-
troyed.
4. In that way he may be useful without bearing fruit.
I. There are but two ways in which man can be useful,
viz. either in acting, or being acted upon. If man be useful, he
must be so either actively or passively ; there is no medium.
What can be more plain, than that if a man do nothing himself.
Vol. VI, .54
426 riiACTXcAL sermons.
and nothing be done with him or tipon him by any other, hs
cannot be any way at all useful ? — If man do nothing himself to
promote the end of his existence ; and no other being do any
thing with him to promote this end ; then nothing will be done
to promote this end; and so man must be wholly useless. So
that there are but two ways in which man can be useful to any
purpose, viz. either actively or passi\el}, either in doing some-
thing himself, or in being the subject of something done to him,
II. Man cannot be useful actively^ any otherwise than in
bringing forth fruit to God ; serving God, and living to his glory.
This is the only way wherein he can be useful in doing; and
that for this reason, that the glory of God is the very thing for
which man was made, and to which all other ends are subordi-
nate. Man is not an independent being, but he derives his be-
ing from another ; and therefore hath his end assigned him by
that other: and he who gave him his being, made him for the
end now mentioned. This was the very design and aim of the
Author of man ; this was the work for which he made him, viz.
to serve and glorify his Maker. — Other creatures, that are infe-
rior, were made for inferior pur(»ose?. But man is the highest,
and nearest to God, of any in this lower world ; and, therefore,
his business is with God, although other creatures are made for
lower ends. There may be observed a kind of gradual ascent
in the order of ditferent creatures, from the meanest clod of
earth to man, who hath a rational and immortal soul. A plant,
an herb, or tree, is su[)erior in nature to a stone or clod, be-
cause it hath a vegetable life. The brute creatures are a de-
gree higher still ; for they have sensitive life. But man, having
a rational soul, is the highest of this lower creation, and is next
to God ; therefore, his business is with God.
Things without life, as earth, water. &c. are subservient to
things above them, as the grass, herbs, and trees. These ve-
getables are subservient to that order of creatures which is next
above them, the brute creation ; they are for food to them.
Brute creatures, again, are made for the use and service of the
order above them : they are made for the service of mankmd.
But man being the highest of thih lower creation, the tiext step
from him is to God. He, therefore, is made for the service and
glory of God. This is the whole work and business of man ; it
is his highest end, to which all other ends are subordinate.
If it had not been for this end, there never would have
been any such creature ; there would have been no occasion
for it. Other inferior ends may be answered as well, without
any such creature as man. There would have been no sort of
occasion for making so noble a creature, and enduing him with
such faculties, only to enjoy earthly good, to eat and to drink,
"^nd to enjov sensual thiniis. Brute-creatures, without reason*
SER. X. 'Die Wicked useful in iheir Deslruciion only, 42T
are capable of these things, as well as man : yea, if no higher
end be aimed at than to enjoy sensitive good, reason is rather a
hindrance than a help. It doth but render man the more capa-
ble of afflicting himself, with care, fears of death, and other fu-
ture evils ; and of vexing himself with many anxieties, from
which brute-creature? are wholly free, and, therefore, can gra-
tify' their senses with less molestation. Besides, reason doth
but make men more capable of molesting and impeding one
another in the gratitication of their senses. If man have no
other end to seek but to gratify his senses, reason is nothing
but an impediment.
Therefore, if man be not made to serve and glorify his
Creator, it is wholly to no purpose that such a creature is made.
Doubtless, then, the all-wise God, who doth all things in infinite
wisdom, hath made man for this end. And this is agreeable to
what he hath taught us in many places in the scriptures. This
is the great end for which man was made, and for which he was
made such a creature, having bodily senses and rational powers.
For this, is he placed in such circumstances, and the earth is
given him for a possession. For this he hath dominion given
him over the rest of the terrestrial creatures. For this the sun
shines, and the rain foils on him; and the moon and stars are
for signs and seasons to him, and the earth yields him her in-
crease. All other end? of man are subordinate to this. There
are, indeed, inferior ends, for which man was made. Men were
made for one another ; for their friends and neighbours, and for
the good of the public. But all these inferior ends are designed
to be subordinate to the higher end of glorifying God ; and,
therefore, man cannot be actively useful, otherwise than by ac-
tively bringing forth fruii to God. Because, that is not actively
useful which doth not actively answer its end : that which doth
not answer its end, is in vain ; for that is the meaning of the
proposition, that any thing is in vain. So that which doth not
actively answer its end, is, as to its own activity, in vain.
That, as to its own activity, is altogether useless, which ac-
tively answers only subordinate ends, without answering the ul-
timate end ; because the latter is the end of subordinate ones.
Subordinate ends are to no purpose, only as they stand related
to the highest end. Therefore, these inferior ends are good for
nothing, though they be obtained, unless they also obtain their
end. Inferior ends are not aimed at for their ozvn sake, but
only' for the sake of that which is ultimate. Therefore, he
that fails of this, is as much to no purpose, as if he did not ob-
tain his subordinate end.
I will illustrate this by two or three examples. The sub-
ordinate end of the underpinning of a house, is to support it,
and the subordinate end of the windows, is to let in the light.
But the ultimate end of the whole, is the benefit of the inha-
■i'io rilACTICy^L SERMONS.
bitanls. Therefore, if the house be never inhabited, the wiioi'
is in vain. The underpinning is in vain, though it be ever so
strong, and support the building ever so well. The windows
also are wholly in vain, though ihey be ever so large and clear,
and though they obtain the subordinate end of letting in the
light ; they are as much in vain, as if they let in no light.
So the subordinate end of the husbandman in ploughing
and sowing, and well manuring his field is, that it may bring
forth a crop. But his more ultimate end is, that food may be
provided for him and his family. Therefore, though his infe-
rior end be obtained, and his field bring forth ever so good a
crop, yet if after all it be consumed by fire, or otherwise de-
stroyed, he ploughed and sowed his field as much in vain> as if
the seed had never sprung up. — So if man obtain his subordi-
nate ends ever so fully ; yet if he altogether fail of his ultimate
end, he is wholly an useless creature. Thus if men be very
useful in temporal things to their families, or greatly promote
the temporal interest of the neighbourhood, or of the public ;
yet if no glory be brought to God by it, they are altogether
useless. If men actively bring no glory to God, they are as to
their own activity, altogether useless, how much soever they
may promote the benefit of one another. How much soever
one part of mankind may subserve another ; yet if the end of
the whole be not answered, every part is useless.
Thus if the parts of a clock subserve ever so well one
another, mutually to assist each other in their motions ; one
wheel moving another ever so regularly ; yet if the motion
never reach the hand or the hammer, it is altogether in vain,
as much as if it stood still. So one man was made to be useful
to another, and one part of mankind to another; but the use
of the whole is to bring glory to God the maker, or else all is
in vain.
Although a wicked man may, by being serviceable to good
men, do what will be an advantage to them to their bringing
forth fruit to God ; yet that serviceableness is not what he aims
at ; he doth not look so far for an ultimate end. And however
this be obtained, no thanks are due to him ; he is only the occa-
sion, and not the designing cause of it.
The usefulness of such a man, being not designed, is not to
be attributed to him, as though it were his fruit. He is not
useful as a man, or as a rational creature, because he is not so
designedly. He is useful as things without life may be. Things
without life may be useful to put the godly under advantages
to bring forth fruit, as the timber and stones with which his
house is built, the wool and flax with which he is clothed ; but
the fruit which is brought forth to God's glory, cannot be said
to be the fruit of these lifeless things, but of the godly man
^ER. X. 3%e Wicked useful in their Destruction only. 429
who makes use of them. So it is when wicked men put the
godly under advantages to glorify God, as Cyrus, and Artax-
erxes, and others have done.
III. If men bring not forth fruit to God, there is no other
way in which they can be useful passively, but in being destroy-
ed. They are tit for nothing else.
\. They are not tit to be suffered to continue always in
this world. It is not fit that this world should be the constant
abode of those who bring forth no fruit to God. It is not fit
that the barren tree should be allowed always to stand in the
vineyard. The husbandman lets it stand for a while, till he
digs about it, dungs it, and proves it to be incurable, or till a
convenient time to cut it down come ; but it is not fit that they
who bring forth no fruit to God, should be suffered to live
always in a world which is so full of the divine goodness, or
that his goodness should be spent upon them for ever. — This
world, though fallen, and under a curse, has many streams of
divine goodness. But it is not fit that those who bring forth
no fruit to God, should always be continued in partaking of
these streams. There are three different states ; one, wherein
is nothing but good, which is heaven 5 another wherein is a
mixture of good and evil, which is the earthly state ; and the
third, wherein is nothing but evil, which is the state of eternal
destruction. Now they that bring forth no fruit to God, arc
not fit for either of the former.
It is not fit that an unprofitable, unfruitful creature, who
will not glorify his Creator, should always live here to con-
sume the fruits of divine bounty : to have the good things of
this life spent upon him in vain. While a man lives here,
the other creatures are subjected to him. The brute creatures
serve him with their labour and with their lives. The sun,
moon, and stars; the clouds, fields and trees, all serve him.
But why should God always keep his creatures in subjection
to that man who will not be subject to him ? Why should the
creation be always kept in such bondage, as to be subject to
wicked men ? The creatures indeed are made subject to
vanity, God hath subjected them to wicked men, and given
them for their use. This however he would not have done,
but as it is only for a little while ; and the creatures can bear
it through the hope of approaching deliverance ; otherwise it
would have been intolerable. Rom. viii. 20. "For the crea-
ture was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
of him who hath subjected the same in hope.'''' — The creature,
as it were, groans by reason of this subjection to wicked men,
although it be but for a while, ver. 22. " For we know that
the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in vain together
until now." Therefore surely it would be no way fit that
130 I'RACTICAL SERMON'S.
wicked men, who do no good, and bring forth no Iruit to God.
should Hve here always, to have the various creatures subser-
vient to them, as they are now. The earth can scarcely bear
wicked men during that short time for which they stay here.
It is no way tit, therefore, that it should be forced to bear them
always.
Men who bring forth no fruit to God are cumberers of the
ground. Luke xiii. 7. And it is not nieet that they should be
suftered to cumber the ground always. God cannot be glorified
in this way of disponing of unfruitful persons. If such men
should e suffered to live always in such a state as this, it
would be so far from being to the glory of God, that it would
be to the disparagement of his wisdom to continue them in a state
so unsuitable for them. It would also be a disparagement to his
justice j for this is a world where "all things come alike to
all, and there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked.'*
If there were no other state but this for wicked men, justice
could not possibly take place. It would also reflect upon the
holiness of God. For ever to uphold this world for a habitation
of such persons, and for ever to continue the communications
of his bounty and goodness to them, would appear as though he
were disposed to countenance aiid encourage wickedness.
2. If men do not bring forth fruit to God, they are not fit
to be disposed of in heaven. Heaven, above all others, is the
most improper plare for them. Kvery thing appertaining to
that state is unsuitable for them. The company is most unsuit-
able. The original inhabitants of that world are the angels.
But what a disagreeable union would that be, to unite wicked
men and anu;els in the same society ? The employmeyits of that
world are unsuitable. The employments are serving and glo-
rifying God. How un^uitable then would it be to plant barren
trees in that heavenly paradise, trees that would bring forth no
fruit, to the divine glory ! The enjoyments of heaven are un-
suitable. The enjoyments are holy and spiritual, the happiness
of beholding: the glory of God, and praising his name, and the
like. But these enjo\ments are as unsuitable as can be to the
carnal earthly minds of wicked men. They would be no en-
joyments to them ; but on the contrary would be most disagree-
able, and what they cannot relish, but entirely nauseate. The
design of heaven is unsuitable to them. The design of God in
making heaveti was, that it might be a place of holy habitation,
for the reward of the righteous, and not a habitation for the
wicked. Ii would greatly reflect on the wisdom of God to dis-
pose o wicked men there ; (or it would be the greatest con-
fusion. But God IS not the author of confusion. 1 Cor. xiv. .33.
It would be contrary to the holiness of God to take wicked men
so near to himself, into his glorious presence, to dwell for ever
in the part of that creation which is, as it were, his own pa-
SER. X. The Wicked useful in their Destruction only, 43 1
lace, and to sit at his table. We read in Psalm v. 4. " Thou
art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall
evil dwell with thee. Therefore it would be i.npos?iib!e that
the end of the existence of wicked men should be answered by
placing them in heaven.
IV. Men who bring forth no fruit to God may yet in suf-
fering destruction be useful. Although they be not useful by
any thing they do ; yet the^ md.y be useful in what they may
suffer ; just as a barren tree, which is no way useful standing in
the vineyard, may be good fuel. God can find use for the
most wicked men ; he hath his use for vt ssels of wrath as well
as for vessels of mercy : 2 Tim. ii. 20. " In a great house
there are not only vessels of gold, and of silver, but also of
wood, and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour ;"
Prov. xvi. 4. " the Lord hath made all things for himself; yea,
even the wicked for the day of evil." I shall briefly take no-
tice of some ends which God accomplishes by it.
1. Utjfruitful persons are of use in their destruction for
the glory of God''s justice. The vindictive Justice of God is a
glorious attribute, as well as his mercy ; and the glory of this
attribute appears \u the everlasting destruction and ruin of the
barren and unfruitful. — The glory of divine justice in the per-
dition of ungodly men, appears wonderful and glorious in the
eyes of the saints and angels in heaven. Hence we have an ac-
count, that they sing praises to God, and extol his Justice at the
sight of the awful judgments which he inflicts on wicked men :
Rev. xvi. 5, 6. "• Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and
wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus : for they have
shed the blood of saints, and prophets, and thou hast given them
blood to drink; for they are worthy:" and Rev. xix. 1, 2.
And after these things I heard a great voice, saying. Alleluia ;
Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our
God : for true and righteous are his judgments ; for he hath
judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her for-
nication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."
2. Unfruitful persons in their destruction are of use for
God to glorify his majesty upon them. The awful majesty of
God remarkably appears in those dreadful and amazing punish-
ments which he inflicts on those who rise up against him. A
sense of the majesty of an earthly prince is supported very
much by a sense of its being a dreadful thing to affront him.
God glorifies his own majesty in the destruction of wicked men ;
and herein he appears infinitely great, in that it appears to be
an infinitely dreadful thing to offend him. How awful doth the
majesty of God appear ni the dreadfulness of his anger? This
we may learn to be one end of the damnation of the wicked,
from Rom, ix. 22. " What if God willing to show his wrath, and
432 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
to make his great power known, endured with much long-suf-
fering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction ?" This is a
part of his maiesty and glory. God tells Pharaoh, that for this
cause he raised him up, that he might show his power in him,
and that his name might be declared through all the earth, in
his destruction, Exod. ix. 15, 16 ; and again, chap. xiv. 17. "I
will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon
his chariots, and upon his horsemen."
3. The destruction of the unfruitful is of use, to give the
saints a greater sense of their happiness, and of God's grace to
them. The wicked will be destroyed and tormented in the
view of the saints, and other inhabitants of heaven. This we
are taught in Rev. xiv. 10. "The same shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture^
into the cup of his indignation ; and he shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone, in the presence of his holy angels, and in
the presence of the Lamb." And in Isa. Ixvi. 24. "And
they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that
have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die.
neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhor-
ring unto all flesh." When the saints in heaven shall look upon
the damned in hell, it will serve to give them a greater sense of
their own happiness. When they shall see how dreadful the
anger of God is, it will make them the more prize his love.
They will rejoice the more, that they are not the objects of
God's anger, but of his favour ; that they are not the subjects
of his dreadful wrath, but are treated as his children, to dwell
in the everlasting embraces of his love. The misery of the
damned, will give them a greater sense of the distinguishing
grace and love of God to them, that he should from all eternity
set his love on them, and make so great a difference between
them and others who are of the same species, and have deserved
no worse of God than they. What a great sense will this give
them of the wonderful grace of God to them ! and how will it
heighten their praises ! with how much greater admiration and
exultation of soul, will they sing of the free and sovereign grace
of God to them !
When they shall look upon the damned, and see their mi-
sery, how will heaven ring with the praises of God's justice
towards the wicked, and his grace towards the saints ! And
with how much greater enlargement of heart will they praise
Jesus Christ, their Redeemer, that ever he was pleased to set
his love upon them, his dying love ! and that he should so dis-
tinguish them as to shed his blood, and make his soul an offer-
ing to redeem them from that misery, and to bring them to such
happiness ! With what love and ecstacy will they sing that song
in Rev. v. 9, 10. ''Thou art worthy: for thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every tongue, and
SF.R. X. The. Wicked useful in Ihcir Dexl ruction only. 433
kindred, and people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our
God kings and priests." One end, which the apostle mentions,
why God appointed vessels of wrath, is the more to make known
the wonderfulncss of his mercy towards the saints. In Rom. ix.
22, 23, there are two ends mentioned : " What if God, willing
to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with
much long-sufTering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?"
That is one end; another is mentioned immediately after: —
" And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory."'
APPLICATION.
1. Hence we may learn, how just and righteous God is in
the destruction of those who bring forth no fruit to him. See-
ing there is no other way in which the end of their being can
be obtained, certainly it is most just that God should thus dis-
pose of them. Why should he be frustrated of his end through
their perverseness ? If men will not do the work for which he
hath made and fitted them ; if they, through a spirit of opposi-
tion and rebellion, refuse •, why should God suffer himself to be
disappointed of his end in making them ? It doth not become
his infinite greatness and majesty to suffer himself to be frus-
trated by the wickedness and perverseness of sinful worms of
the dust. If God should suffer this, it would seem to argue
either a want of wisdom, to fix upon a good end, or a want of
power to accomplish it. God made all men that they might be
useful ; and, if they will not be useful in their conduct and ac-
tions, how just is it that God should make them useful in their
sufferings ! He made all men for his own glory ; and if they,
contrary to the revealed will of God, refuse to glorify him ac-
tively and willingly, how just is it that God should glorify him-
self upon them !
Men are under no natural necessity of being put to this
use of glorifying God in their sutFerings. God gives them op-
portunity of glorifying him in bringing forth fruit; puts them
under advantages for it, and uses many means to bring them to
it. But if they will not be useful this way, it is very just that
God should make them useful in the only remaining way ip.
which they can be useful, viz. in their destruction. God is not
forward to put them to this use. He tells us, that he hath " no
pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn
from his way and live ;" Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1. He represents the
destruction of sinners as a work to which he is backward ; yet
it is meet that they should be destroyed, rather than that they
should be suffered to frustrate the end of their being. Who
can blame the husbandman for cutting down and burning a
barren tree, after he hath digged about it. and dunged it. and
Vf»T.. VT. ' .5.-.
434 I'RACTICAL aERMONh.
used all proper means to make it fruitful ? Let those among us
consider this, who have lived all their lives, hitherto, unprofita-
])ly, and never have brought forth any fruit to God's glory, not-
withstanding all the means that have been used with them.—
Consider how just it would be if God should utterly destroy
you, and glorify himself upon you in that way : and what a won-
derful patience it is, that God hath not done it before now.
II. This subject ought to put you upon examining your-
selves, whether you be not wholly useless creatures. You have
now heard, that those who bring forth no fruit to God, are, as
to any good they do, wholly useless. Inquire, therefore, whe-
ther you have ever done any thing from a gracious respect to
God, or out of love to him? Seeking only your worldly inte-
rest, or for you to come to public worship on the Sabbath, to
pray in your families, and other such things, merely in compli-
ance with the general custom — or that you be sober, moral,
and religious, only to be seen of men, or out of respect to your
own credit, and honour — is not bringing forth fruit to God.
How is that for God which is only for the sake of custom, the
esteem of men, or merely from the fear of hell ? What thanks
are due to you for not loving your own misery, and for being
willing to take some pains to escape burning in hell to all eter-
nity ? There is not a devil in hell, but would do the same :
Hos. X. 1 . " Israel is an empty vine 5 he bringeth forth fruit
v)ito himself.''''
There is no fruit brought forth to God, where there is no-
thing done from love, or true respect to him. God looketh at
the heart. He doth not stand in need of our services, neither
is he benefitted by any thing that we can do. He doth not re-
ceive any thing of us, but only as a suitable testimony of our
love and respect to him. This is the fruit that he seeks. Men
themselves will not accept of those shows of friendship, which
they think arc hypocritical, and come not from the heart. How
much less should God, who searcheth the hearts and trieth the
reins of the children of men ! John iv. 24. " God is a spirit ;
and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in
truth." Inquire, therefore, whether you ever did the least
thing out of love to God ? Have you not done all for your-
selves? Zech. viii. 5, 6. "When ye fasted and mourned in
the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at
all fast unto me, even unto me ? And when ye did eat, and
when ye did drink, did ye not eat for yourselves, and drink for
yourselves ?''
III. Another use of this subject may be of conviction and
humiliation, to those who never have brought forth any fruit to
God. If. upon examination, you find that you have never, in
SKR. X. The, Wicked useful in their Destruciion only. 43i)
all your lives, done any thing out of a true respect to God, then
it hath been demonstrated, that, as to any thing which you do,
you are altogether useless creatures. And consider what a
shameful thing it is for such rational beings as you are, and
placed under such advantages, for usefulness, yet to be wholly
useless, and to live in the world to no purpose ! We esteem it
a very mean character in any person, that he is worthless and
insignificant ; and, to be called so, is taken as a great reproach.
But consider, seriously, whether you can clear yourselves of
this character. Set reason to work ; can you rationally sup-
pose, that you do, in any measure, answer the end for whicii
God gave you your being, and made you of a nature superior to
the beasts ? — But that you may be sensible what cause you have
to be ashamed of your unprofitableness, consider the following
things :
1. How much God hath bestowed upon you, in the endow-
ments of your nature. God hath made you rational, intelligent
creatures ; hath endued you with noble powers — those endow-
ments wherein the natural image of God consists. You arc
vastly exalted in your nature above other kinds of creatures
here below. You are capable of a thousand times as much as
any of the brute-creatures. He hath given you a power of un-
derstanding, which is capable of extending itself, of looking
back to the beginning of time, and of considering what was be-
fore the world, and of looking forward beyond the end of time.
It is capable of extending beyond the utmost limits of the uni-
verse ; and is a faculty whereby you are akin to angels, and are
capable even of knowing and contemplating the divine Being,
and his glorious perfections, manifested in his works and in his
word. You have souls capable of being the habitation of the
Holy Spirit of God, and his divine grace. You are capable of
the noble employments of angels. How lamentable and shame-
ful is it, that such a creature should be altogether useless, and
live in vain ! How lamentable, that such a noble and excellent
piece of divine workmanship should fail of its end, and be to
no purpose! Was it ever worth while for God to make you
such a creature, with such a noble nature, and so much above
other kinds of creatures, only to eat, and drink, and gratify
your sensual appetites ? How lamentable and shameful to you,
that such a noble tree should be more useless than any tree of
the forest ; that man, whom God hath thus set in honour, should
make himself more worthless than the beasts that perish!
2. How much God hath do7ie for you in the creation of
the world. He made the earth, and seas, and all their fulness,
for the use of man. Psalm cxv. IG. "The earth hath he given
to the children of men." He made the vast variety of crea-
tures for man's use and service : Gen. i. 28. " Have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. and over
436 PRACTICAL SERxUOAis.
every living thing that moveth upon the earth." For the same
purpose he made all the plants, and herbs, and trees of the
field : Gen. i. 29. " I have given you every herb bearing seed
which is upon the face of all the earths and every tree, in the
which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for
meat." He made the sun in the heavens, that glorious lumina-
ry, that wonderful globe of light, to give light to man, and to
constitute the difference between day and night. He also made
the moon, and the vast multitude of stars to be to him sigm?
and seaso7is. What great provision hath God made for man !
What a vast variety of good things for food and convenience, to
put him under advantages to be useful ! How lamentable is
it, then, that after all these things he should be an useless
creature !
3. How much is done for you in the course of God's
common providence .' Consider how nature is continually la-
bouring for you. The sun is, as it were, in a ferment for man-
kind, and spending his rays upon man to put him under advan-
tage to be useful. The winds and clouds are continually
labouring for you, and the waters are going in a constant circu-
lation, ascending in the air from the seas, descending in rain,
gathering in streams and rivers, returning to the sea, and again
ascending and descending, for you. The earth is continually
labouring to bring forth her fruit for your support. The trees
of the field, and many of the poor brute-creatures, are con-
tinually labouring and spending their strength for you ! How
much of the fulness of the earth is spent upon you ! How ma-
ny of God's creatures are devoured by you ! How many of the
lives of the living creatures of God are destroj^ed for your sake,
for your support and comfort! — Now, how lamentable will it be
if, after all, you be altogether useless, and live to no purpose I
What mere cumbcrers of the ground will you be! Luke xiii.
7. Nature, which thus continually labours for you, will be
burdened with you. This seems to be what the apostle means,
Rom. viii. 20 — 22. where he tells us, that the creation is made
subject to vanity, and brought into the bondage of corruption ;
and that the whole creation groans and travails in pain, under
this bondage.
4. How much is done for you in the use of the means of
grace. How much hath God done to provide you with suita-
ble means and advantages for usefulness ! How many prophets
hath he sent into the world in different ages, inspiring them
with his Holy Spirit, and enabling them to work many miracles
to confirm their word, whereby you now have his written word
to instruct you ! How great a thing hath God done for you,
to give you opportunity and advantage to be useful, in that
he hath sent his own Son into the world! He who is really
and truly God, united himself to the hum^in nature, and became
SER. X. The Wicked useful in their Destruction only. 437
man to be a prophet and teacher to you and other sinners.
Yea, he laid down his hfe to make atonement for sin, that you
might have encouragement to serve God with hopes of accep-
tance.— How many ordinances have been instituted for you!
How much of the labour of the ministers of God hath been
spent upon you ! Is not that true concerning you which is said
(Isa. V.) of the vineyard planted in a very fruitful hill, and
fenced and cultivated with peculiar care and pains, which yet
proved unfruitful ? How much hath the dresser of the vine-
yard digged about the barren tree, and dunged it, and yet it
remains barren !
5. Consider what a shame it is that you should live in
vain, when all the other creatures, inferior to you, glorify their
Creator, according to their nature. You who are so highly
exalted in the world, are more useless than the brute creation ;
yea, than the meanest worms, or things without life, as earth
and stones : For they all answer their end ; none of them fail
of it. They are all useful in their places, all render their pro-
per tribute of praise to their Creator: while you are mere
nuisances in the creation, and burdens to the earth : as any tree
of the forest is more useful than the vine, if it bear not fruit.
IV. Let me, in a farther application of this doctrine,
exhort you by all means to bring forth fruit to God. Let it
be your constant endeavour to be in this way actively useful in
the world. Here consider three things.
1. What an honour it will be to such poor creatures as you
are to bring forth fruit to the divine glory. What is such a
poor worm as man, that he should be enabled to bring forth any
fruit to God ! It is the greatest honour of his nature, that God
hath given him a capacity of glorifying the great Creator.
There is no creature in the visible world that is capable of ac-
tively glorifying God, but man.
2. In bringing forth fruit to God, you will be so projilahle
to none as to yourselves. You cannot therebv be profitable to
God ; Job xxii. 2. "Can a man be profitable to God ?" And
though thereby you may be profitable to your fellow-creatures ;
yet the fruit which you bring forth to God will be a greater be-
nefit to yourselves than to any one living. — Although you are
under a natural obligation to bring forth fruit to God, yet he
will richly reward you for it. In requiring you to bring forth
fruit to him, he doth but require you to bring forth fruit to your
own happiness. You will taste the sweetness of your own
fruit. It will be most profitable for you in this world, and the
pleasure will be beyond the labour. Beside this. God hath
promised to such a life, everlasting rewards, unspeakable, in-
finite benefits. So that by it you will infinitely advance your own
interest.
43li PRACTICAL SERMONS.
3. Ji'you remain thus unprofitable, and be not actively use=
ful, surely God will obtain his end of you, in your destruction.
He will say concerning the barren tree, "Cut it down, why
cumbereth it the ground?" Christ ( John xv. 6.) tells us, " If
a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is wi-
thered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned." This is spoken of the barren branches in
the vine. How would you yourselves do in such a case with a
barren free in an orchard, or with weeds and tares in your fields ?
Doubtless if it were in your power, you would utterly destroy
them. — God will have his end ; Sie will not be frustrated.
Though all men and devils unite their endeavours, they cannot
frustrate God in any thing ; and '" though hand join in hand, the
wicked shall not be unpunished;" Prov. xi. 21. God hath
sworn by his great name, that he will have his glory of men,
whether they will actively glorify him or no. Numb. xiv. 21,
22, 23. " But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with
the glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have seen
my glory, and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wil-
derness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have
not hearkened to my voice ; surely they shall not see the land
which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it." — '' The axe lieth at the root of the trees ;
and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire ;" Matt. iii. 10. The end of those men
who bring forth nothing but briers and thorns, is to be burned,
as in Heb. vi. 7, 8. " For the earth which drinketh in the rain
that Cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them
by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God : but that
which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto
cursing ; whose end is to be burned." So we read of the tares,
Matt. xiii. 30. "Let both grow together until the harvest; and
in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye
together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them ;'-
and in verses 40, 41, 42. '" As therefore the tares are gathered
and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the world.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall ga-
ther out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which
do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire ; there
shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." — So it is said of the
chaff. Matt. iii. 12. " Whose fan is in his hand, and he will
thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the gar-
ner: but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
If you continue not to bring forth any fruit to the divine
glory, hell will be the onl) fit place for you. It is a place pre-
pared on purpose to be a receptacle of such persons. In hell
nature ceases to labour any more for sinners. There they will
have no opportunity to consume the fruits of divine goodness
SER. X. The Wicked useful in their Destruction only. 439
on their lusts ; there they can prejudice or incumber nothing,
upon which God sets any value. There no faithful servants
and ministers of God will any longer spend their strength in
vain upon them. When the barren tree is in the fire the ser-
vants of the husbandman are freed from any further labour
about it. — In hell the fruitless will no more have opportunity to
clog and discourage the flourishing of religion, and to destroy
much good, as they often do in this world; they will no more
have opportunity to corrupt othefvS by their ill example ; they
will no more have it in their power to offend the godly ; they
may hurt and torment one another ; but the godly will be out
of their reach. In hell there will be no ordinances, no sab-
baths, no sacraments, no sacred things, for them to profane
and defile by their careless and hypocritical attendance : but
anceasing wo for their abuse.
SERMON XI.^
SINNERS IN ZION TENDERLY WARNED ; OR THE FEAR-
FULNESS WHICH WILL HEREAFTER SURPRISE SIN-
NERS IN ZION, REPRESENTED AND IMPROVED.
Isaiah xxxiii. 14.
The sinners in Zion are afraid ; fearfulness hath surprised the
hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell zvith the devouring
fire? Wlio amongst us shall dzoell loith everlasting burnings ?
SECT. I.
Showing who are sinners in Zion.
There are two kinds of persons among God's professing
people ; the one, those who are truly godly, spoken of in the
verse following the text ; He that walketh righteously^ and
speaketh uprightly, ^c. The other kind consists of sinners in
Zion, or hypocrites. It is to be observed, that the prophet in
this chapter speaks interchangeably, first to the one, and then
to the other of these characters of men ; awfully threatening
and denouncing the wrath of God against the one, and com-
forting the other with gracious promises. Thus you may ob-
serve, in the 5th and 6th verses, there are comfortable promises
to the godly ; then in the eight following verses, awful judg-
ments are threatened against the sinners in Zion. Again, in
the two next verses are blessed promises to the sincerely godly,
and in the former part of ver. 17. And then in the latter part
of ver. 17. and in ver. 18, and 19. are terrible threatenings to
sinners in Zion : then in the verses that follow are gracious
promises to the godly.
Our text is part of what is said in this chapter to sinners
in Zion. In ver. 10. it is said, J^ow will I rise, saith the Lord;
now will I be exalted, now zoill I lift up myself, i. e. Now will I
* The substance of two posthumous discaurses, dated Dec. 1740»
5ER. X!. H ho arc dintcrs in Zioii,^ 441
arise to execute wrath upon the ungodly : I \Yill not let them
alone any longer. They shall see that I am not asleep, and
that I am not regardless of mine own honour. Js''ozt) loill I be
exalted. Though they have cast contempt upon me, yet I will
vindicate the honour of my own majesty : I will exalt myself,
and show my greatness, and my awful majesty in their destruc-
tion. jYow zoill I lift up myself; now I will no longer have
mine honour trampled in the dust by them : But my glory
shall be manifested in their misery.
In ver. 11. the prophet proceeds, Ye shall conceive chaff,
ye shall bring forth stubble : i. e. Ye shall pursue happiness
in ways of wickedness, but you shall not obtain it ; you are as
ground which brings forth no fruit, as if only chatTwere sowed
in it ; it brings forth nothing but stubble, which is fit for no-
thing but to be burned.
It seems to have been the manner in that land where the
corn grew very rank, when they had reaped the wheat, and
gathered it off from the ground, to set fire to the stubble ;
which is alluded to here; and therefore it is added, Your
breath as fire, shall devoxir you : i. e. Your OAvn wicked
speeches, your wickedness that you commit with your
breath or with your tongues, shall set fire to the stubble and
devour it.
Then it follows in ver. 12. And the people shall be as the
burnings of lime. As they are wont to burn lime in a great
and exceeding fierce fire, till stones, and bones, and other
things are burnt to lime; so shall the wicked be burnt in the
fire of God's wrath. As thorns cut up shall they be burnt in
the fire : as briers and thorns are the incumbrance and curse
of the ground where they grow, and are wont to be burnt ; so
shall it be with the wicked that are among God's people, and
grow in God's field. Heb. vi. 7, 8. '' For the earth which
drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth
herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed^ receiveth blessing
from God: but that which beareth thorns and briers, is reject-
ed, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned."
Then it follows in ver. 13. Hear ye that are far off, what
I have done; and yc that are near, acknowledge my might.
This implies that God will, by the destruction of ungodly men,
manifest his glory very publicly, even in the sight of the whole
world, both in the sight of those that are near, and of those that
are far oil". Acknowledge my might. Which implies that God
will execute wrath upon ungodly men, in such a manner as
extraordinarily to show forth his great and mighty power- The
destruction and misery of the wicked will be so dreadfiil, that
it will be a manifestation of the omnipotent power of God, that
he can execute such misery; agreeably to Rom. ix. 22. "jWhat
if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known.
Vol. vi. .56
142 PEACTICAL SEHMONS.
endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction.
Next follow these words : The sinners in Zion are afraid!
fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites : who among us shall
dwell zvith the devouring fire ? who amongst us shall dwell zvith
everlasting burnings F The sense is, that the time willcome,
when fearfulness will surprise the sinners in Zion ; because
they will know, that they are about to be cast into a devour-
ing fire, which they must sufTer for ever and ever, and which
none can endure.
It may be inquired, who are the sinners in Zion ? — I
answer, That they are those who are in a natural condition
among the visible people of God. Zion, or the city of David
of old, was a type of the church; and the church of God in
scripture is perhaps more frequently called by the name of
Zion than by any other name. And commonly by Zion is
meant the true church of Christ, or the invisible church of
true saints. But sometimes by this name is meant the visible
church, consisting of those who are outwardly, by profession
and external privileges, the people of God. This is intended
by Zion in this text.
The greater part of the world are sinners. Christ's flock
is, and ever hath been but a little flock. And the siimers of
the zvorld are of two sorts : those who are visibly of Satan's
kingdom, who are without the pale of the visible church ; and
those who do not profess the true religion, nor attend the
external ordinances of it. Besides these there are the sinners
in Zion. Both are the objects of the displeasure and wrath of
God 5 but his wrath is more especially manifested in scripture
against the latter. Sinners in Zion will have by far the lowest
place in hell. They are exalted nearest to heaven in this
world, and they will be lowest in hell in another. The same
is meant by hypocrites. Sinners in Zion are all hypocrites ;
for they make a profession of the true religion ; they attend
God's ordinances, and make a show of being the worshippers
of God ; but all is hypocrisy.
SECT. II.
How fearfulness will hereafter surprise sinners in Zion.
1. They will hereafter be afraid. Now many of them
seem to have little or no fear. They are quiet and secure.
Nothing will awaken them : the most awful threatenings and
the loudest warnings do not much move them. They are not
so much moved with them, but that they can eat, and drink, and
sleep, and go about their worldly concerns without much dis-
SER. ix. How fearfulness zoill swjjrist ainuers. 443
turbance. But the time will come, when the hardest and most
stupid wretches will be awakened. Though now preaching will
not awaken them, and the death of others will not make them
afraid ; though seeing others awakened and converted will not
much affect them ; though they can stand all that is to be heard
and seen in a time of general out-pouring of the Spirit of God,
without being much moved ; yet the time will come, when they
will be awakened, and fear will take hold of them. They will
be afraid of the wrath of God : however senseless they be now,
they will hereafter be sensible of the awful greatness of God,
and that it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands.
2. They will be surprised with fear. This seems to imply
two things ; viz. the greatness of their fear, and the suddenness
of it.
(1.) The greatness of their fear. Surprise argues a high
degree of fear. Their fears will be to the degree of astonish-
ment. Some of the sinners in Zion are somewhat afraid now :
they now and then have some degree of fear. They are not
indeed convinced that there is such a place as hell ; but they are
afraid there is. They are not thoroughly awakened ; neither
are they quite easy. They have at certain times inward mo-
lestations from their consciences ; but they have no such de-
grees of fear, as to put them upon any thorough endeavours to
escape future wrath.
However, hereafter they will have fear enough, as much,
and a great deal more, than they will be able to stand under.
Their fear will be to the degree of horror ; they will be horribly
afraid ; and terrors will take hold on them as waters. Thus we
read of their fear coming as a desolation, and of distress and an-
guish coming upon them ; Prov. i. 27. It is also very emphati-
cally said of the wicked, that trouble arid anguish shall prevail
against him, as a King ready to the battle. Job xv. 24.
The stoutest heart of them all will then melt with fear.
The hearts of those who are of a sturdy spirit, and, perhaps,
scorn to own themselves afraid of any man, and are even ashamed
to own themselves afraid of the wrath of God, will then become
as weak as water, as weak as the heart of a little child. And
the most reserved of them will not be able to hide his fears.
Their faces will turn pale ; they will appear with amazement
in their countenances ; every joint in them will tremble ; all
their bones will shake ; and their knees will smite one against
another : nor will they be able to refrain from crying out with
fear, and from rending the air with the most dismal shrieks.
(2.) They will be suddenly seized with fear. The sinners
in Zion often remain secure, till they are surprised, as with a
cry at midnight. They will be, as it were, awakened out of
their secure sleep in a dismal frisht. They will see an unex-
444 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
pected calamity coming upon them ; far more dreadful than
they were aware of, and coming at an unexpected season.
With respect to the time, when the wicked shall be thus
surprised with fear ;
1. It is often so on a dealh-bcd. Many things pass in their
life-time, which, one would think, might well strike terror into
their souls ; as when they see others die, who are as young as
they, and of like condition and circumstances with themselves,
whereby they may see how uncertain their lives are, and how
unsafe their souls. It may well surprise many sinners, to con-
sider how old they are grown, and are yet in a Christless state;
how much of their opportunity to get an interest in Christ is irre-
coverably gone, and how little remains ; also, how much greater
their disadvantages now are, than they have been. But these
things do not terrify them : as age increases, so do the hardness
and stupidity of their hearts grow upon them.
But when death comes, then the sinner is often fdled with
astonishment. It may be, when he is first taken sick, he has
great hope that he shall recover ; as men are ready to flatter
themselves with hopes, that things will be as they fain would
have them. But when the distemper comes to prevail much
upon him, and he sees that he is going into eternity ; when he
sees that all the medicines of physicians are in vain, that all the
care and endeavours of friends are to no purpose, that nothing
seems to help him, that his strength is gone, that his friends
weep over him, and look upon his case as desperate ; when he
sees, by the countenance and behaviour of the physician, that
he looks upon his case as past hope, and, perhaps, overhears a
whispering in the room, wherein his friends signify one to ano-
ther, that they look upon it that he is struck with death, or
wherein they tell one another, that his extreme parts grow cold,
that his countenance and manner of breathing, and his pulse,
show death, and that he begins to be in a cold death-sweat ; and
when, perhaps, by and by, some one thinks himself bound in
duty and faithfulness to let him know the worst, and, therefore,
comes and asks him whether or no he be sensible that he is a
dying : — then how doth fearfulness surprise the sinner in Zion.
How doth his heart melt with fear ! This is the thing which
he feared ever since he was taken sick ; but till now, he had
hope that he should recover. The physician did not speak ;
or, if he despaired, he spoke of such and such medicines as
being very proper : and he hoped that they would be effectual :
and when these failed, he changed his medicines, and appHed
something new :. then the sinner hoped that would be effectual.
Thus, although he constantly grew worse and worse, still he
hoped to recover.
At the same time, he cried to God to spare him, and made
promises how he would Jive, if God would spare him ; and he
sfik. IX. How fearfulness will surprise sinner s» 44o
hoped that God would hear him. He observed, also, that his
friends, and perhaps the minister, seemed to pray earnestly for
him ; and he could not but hope, that those prayers would be
answered, and he should be restored. But now how doth his
heart sink and die within him ! how doth he look about with a
frighted countenance! how quick is the motion of his eye,
through inward fear! and how quick and sudden are all his
motions ! what a frightful hurry doth he seem to be in ! How
doth every thing look to him, when he sees pale grim death
staring him in the face, and a vast eternity within a few hours or
minutes of him !
It may be, he still struggles for a little hope ; he is loth to
believe what is told him ; he tells his informers, that he hopes
they are more affrighted than they need be ; he hopes that those
symptoms arise from some other cause ; and, like a poor drown-
ing man, he catches at slender and brittle twigs, and clinches
his hands about whatever he sees within his reach.
But as death creeps more and more on him, he sees his
twigs break, all his hopes of life fail, and he sees he must die.
O! there is nothing but death before him! He hath been ho-
ping; but his hopes are all dashed; he sees this world, and all
that belongs to it, are gone. Now come the thoughts of hell
into his mind with amazement. O! how shall he go out of the
Vi^orld ? He knows he hath no interest in Christ ; his sins stare
him in the face. O the dreadful gulf of eternity ! He had
been crying to God, perhaps since he was sick, to save him ;
and he had some hope, if it were his last sickness, that yet God
would pity him, and give him pardoning grace before he should
die. He begged and pleaded, and he hoped that God would
have pity on his poor soul. At the same time, he asked others
to pray for him, and he had been looking day after day for some
light to shine into his soul. But, alas! now he is a dying, and
his friends ask him, how death appears to him ? whether any
light appear ? whether God have not given him some token of
his favour? and he answers, no, with a poor, faltering, trem-
bling voice, if able to speak at all : Or, if his friends ask a sig-
nal of hope, he can give none.
Now death comes on him more and more, and he just on
the brink of eternity. Who can express the fear, the misgiv-
ings, the hangings back, and the horrible fright and amazement,
of his soul ? Some who, in such circumstances, have been able
to speak, have been known to cry out, 0/ eternity ! eternity !
and some, O a thousand zoorlds for an inch of time ! 0 ! if they
might but live a little while longer! But it must not be ; go
they must. They feel the frame of nature dissolving, and per-
ceive the soul is just a-going; for sometimes the exercise of
reason seems to hold to the last.
446 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
What, in such a case, is felt in the soul, in those last mo-
ments, when it is just breaking its bands with the body, about
to fetch its leap, on the edge of eternity, and the very brink of
hell, without any Saviour, or the least testimony of divine mer-
cy : I say, what is sometimes felt by Christless souls, in these
moments, none can tell ; nor is it within the compass of our
conception.
2. The misery of the departed soul of a sinner, besides
what it now feels, consists in a great part in amazing fears of
what is yet to come. When the union of the soul and body is
actually broken, and the body has fetched its last gasp, the soul
forsakes its old habitation, and then falls into the hands of
devils, who fly upon it, and seize it more violently than ever
hungry lions flew upon their prey. And with what horror will
it fall into those cruel hands!
If we imagine to ourselves the dreadful fear with which a
lamb or kid falls into the paws of a wolf, which lays hold of it
with open mouth ; or, if we imagine to ourselves the feeling of
a little child, that hath been pursued by a hon, when it is taken
hold of, and sees the terrible creature open his devouring jaws,
to tear it in pieces ; or the feeling of those two and forty child-
ren, who had mocked Elisha, when they fell into the paws of
the bears that tare them in pieces : I say, if we could have a
perfect idea of that terror and astonishment which a little child
has in such a case, yet we should have but a faint idea of what
is felt in the departing soul of a sinner, when it falls into the
hands of those cruel devils, those roaring lions, which then
seize of it.
And when the soul is carried to hell, and there is torment-
ed, suffers the wrath of the Almighty, and is overwhelmed and
crushed with it, it will also be amazed with the apprehensions
of what shall 2/et remain. To think of an eternity of this tor-
ment remaining, O how will it fill, and overbear, and sink down
the wretched soul ! How will the thought of the duration of
this torment, without end, cause the heart to melt like wax !
How will the thought of it sink the soul into the bottomless pit
of darkness and gloominess ! Even those proud and sturdy
spirits, the devils, tremble at the thoughts of that greater tor-
ment which they are to suffer at the day of judgment. So will
the poor damned souls of men. They have already more than
they will be able to bear : how then will they tremble at the
thought of having their misery so vastly augmented I
Persons, sometimes, in this world, are afraid of the day of
judgment. If there be an earthquake, or if there be more than
common thunder and lightning, or if there be some unusual
sight in the heavens, their hearts are ready to tremble for fear
that the day of judgment is at hand. O how then do the poor
souls in hell fear it, who know so much more about it, who
^ER. IX. How fearfulness will surprise sinners, 447
know by what they feel already, and know certainly^ that when-
ever it comes, they shall stand on the left hand of the judge, to
receive the dreadful sentence •, and that then, in soul and body,
they must enter into those everlasting burnings which are pre-
pared for the devil and his angels, and who probably know that
their misery is to be an hundred fold greater than it is now.
3. Fearfulness will surprise them at the last judgment.
When Christ shall appear in the clouds of heaven, and the last
trumpet shall sound, then will the hearts of wicked men be sur-
prised with fearfulness. The poor damned soul, in expectation
of it, trembles every day and every hour, from the time of its
departure from the body. It knows not, indeed, when it is to
be, but it knows it is to be. But when the alarm is given in
hell that the day is come, it will be a dreadful alarm indeed. It
will, as it were, fill the caverns of hell with shrieks ; and when
the souls of the damned shall enter into their bodies, it will be
with amazing horror of what is coming. And when they shall
lift up their heads out of their graves, and shall see the judge;
it will be a most terrible sight. Gladly would they return into
their graves again, and hide themselves there, if that might be ;
and gladly would they return into hell, their former state of mi-
sery, to hide themselves from this awful sight, if that would ex-
cuse them.
So those sinners in Zion, who shall then be found alive on
the earth, when they shall see this sight will be surprised with
fearfulness. The fear and horror which many poor sinners feel
when they are dying, is great, and beyond all that of which we
can have any idea ; but that is nothing to the horror that will
seize them when they shall come to see this sight.
There will not be a wicked man upon earth who will be
able to bear it, let him be who he will ; let him be rich or poor
old or young, male or female, servant or master, king or sub-
ject, learned or unlearned ; let him be ever so proud, ever so
courageous, and ever so sturdy. There is not one who will be
able at all to support himself ; when he shall see this sight, it
will immediately sink his spirit; it will loose the joints of his
loins ; it will make his countenance more ghastly than death.
The rich captains and valiant generals and princes, who now
scorn to show any fear at the face of an enemy, who scorn to
tremble at the roaring of cannon, will tremble and shriek when
they shall hear the last trumpet, and see the majesty of their
judge : it will make their teeth to chatter, and make them lly
to hide themselves in the caves and rocks of mountains, crying
to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and cover them
from the wrath of the judge.
Fearfulness will surprise them when they shall be dragged
before the judgment-seat. The wicked hang back when they
are about to meet death ; but in no measure as they will t»«'^^
440 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
back when they come to meet their great Judge. And whert
they come to stand before the Judge, and are put on his left
hand, fearfulness and amazement will surprise them. The
majesty of the Judge will be intolerable to them. His pure
and holy eye, which will behold and search them, and pierce
them through, will be more terrible to their souls a thousand
times than flashes of lightning piercing their hearts. There
will they stand in a trembling expectation, that by and by they
shall hear the words of that dreadful sentence proceed out of
the mouth of Christ : they will have an horrible expectation of
that sentence ; and what shall they do, whither shall they fly,
so as to be out of its hearing ? They cannot shut their ears,
so as not to hear it.
Fearfulness will surprise them when the sentence shall
come to he pronounced. At the close of the judgment, that
dreadful doom will be uttered by the Judge ; and it will be the
most terrible voice that ever was heard. The sound of the
last trumpet, that shall call men to judgment, will be a more
terrible sound to wicked men than ever they shall have heard
till that time ; but the sound of the last sentence will be much
more terrible than that. There will not be one of all those
millions at the left hand, whether high or low, king or subject
who will be able to support himself at all under the sound of
that sentence ; but they will all sink under it.
Lastly, Fearfulness will surprise them, when they shall
come to see the fire kindle upon the world, in which they are
to be tormented for ever. When the sentence shall have been
pronounced, Christ, with his blessed saints and glorious angels.
will leave this lower world, and ascend into heaven. Then
will the flames begin to kindle, and fire will probably be seen
coming down from heaven ; and soon will the fire lay hold of
that accursed multitude. Then will their hearts be surprised
with fearfulness ; that fire will appear a dreadful fire indeed.
O what chatterings of teeth, what shaking of loins, what dis-
tortions of body, will there be at that time, when they shall see.
and begin to feel, the fierceness of the flames ! What shall
they do, whither shall they go, to avoid those flames ? Where
shall they hide themselves ? If they creep into holes, or creep
into caves of the earth, yea if they could creep down to the
centre of the earth, it will be in vain ; for it will set on fire the
bottoms of the mountains, and burn to the lowest hell. They
will see no place to fly to, no place to hide themselves.
Then their hearts will be filled with fearfulness, and will
utterly sink in despair. Thus it shall hereafter be with every-
one that shall then be found to be a sinner, and especially with
sinners in Zion.
SEii. XI. Why sinners will he surprised^ 449
SECT. III.
Why sinners in general will hereafter be surprised with fear*
1. Fearfulness will surprise them, because they will know
that they are to be cast into devouring f re. There is nothing
which seems to give one a more terrible idea of torment and
misery, than to think of being cast alive into a great fire •, espe-
cially if we conceive of the senses remaining quick, and not
benumbed by the fire. The wicked will hereafter have that to
make them afraid, that they are not only to be cast into a /re
but inio devouring fire ; which implies, that it will be a fire of
extraordinary fierceness of heat, and before which nothing can
stand.
The fire into which men are to be cast is called a furnace
of fire. Furnaces are contrived for an extreme degree of heat,
this being necessary for the purposes for which they are de-
signed, as the ruiming and refining of metals, and the melting
of materials into glass. The fire of such earthly furnaces may
be called devouring fire, as the heat of some of them is such,
that in them even stones will presently be dissolved. Now, if
a person should be brou<4ht to the mouth of such a furnace
and there should see how the fire glows, so as presently to
make every thing cast into it all over white, and bright with
fire, and at the same time should know that he was immediate-
ly to be cast into this furnace, would not fearfulness surprise
him ?
In some heathen countries, the manner of disposing of
dead bodies is to dig a great pit, to put in it a great quantity of
fuel, to put the dead bodies on the pile, and to set it on fire.
This is some image of the burning of dead souls in the pit of
hell. Novv, if a person were brought to the edge of such a pit,
all tilled with glowing flames, to be immediately cast into it,
would it not surprise the heart with fearfulness ?
The flames of a very great fire, as when a house is all on
fire, give one some idea of the fierceness of the wrath of God :
such is the rage of the flames. And we see that the greater a
fire is, the fiercer is its heat in every part ; and the reason is,
because one part heats another. The heat in a particular
place, besides the heat which proceeds out of the fuel in that
place, is increased by the additional heat of the fire all around
it. Hence we may conceive something of what fierceness that
fire will be, when this visible world shall be turned into one
great furnace. That will be devouring fire indeed. Such will
be the heat of it, that, as the apostle says, the elements shall
melt with fervent heat, 2 Pet. iii. 10.
Vol. VI. .57
45'0 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
Men can artificially raise such a degree of heat with burn-'
ing glasses, as will quickly melt ihe very stones and sand. And
it IS probable that the heat of that great fire which will burn
the world will be such as to melt the rocks, and the very
ground, and turn them into a kind of liquid fire : so that the
whole world will probably be converted into a great lake, or
liquid globe of fire, a vast ocean of fire, in which the wicked
shall be overwhelmed. It will be an ocean of fire, which will
always be in a tempest, in which the wicked shall be tossed to
and fro, having no rest day nor night, vast waves or billows of
fire continually rolling over their heads.
But all this will be only an image of that dreadful fire of the
wrath of God, which the wicked shall at the same time suffer
in their sott/s. We read in Rev. xix. [5. o{ the fierceness and wrath
of Almighty God. This is an extraordinary expression, carry-
ing a terrible idea of the future misery of the wicked. If it
had been only said the wrath of God, that would have express-
ed what is dreadful. If the wrath of a king be as the roaring
of a lion, what is the wrath of God ? But it is not only said the
wrath of God, but the fierceness and wrath of God, or the rage
of his wrath ; and not only so, but the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God. O what is that ! the fierceness and rage or
fury of Omnipotence! of a being of infinite strength! What
an idea doth that give of the state of those worms that suffer
ihe fierceness and wrath of such an Almighty Being! And is
it any wonder that fearfulness surprises their hearts, when they
see this about to be executed upon them ?
2. Another reason given in the text, why fearfulness will
hereafter surprise sinners, is, that they will be sensible this
devouring fire will be everlasting. If a man were brought to
the mouth of a great furnace to be cast into the midst of it, if
at the same time he knew he should suffer torment but for one
minute, yet that minute would be so terrible to him, that fear-
fulness would surprise and astonish him. How much more, if
he were to be cast into a fire much fiercer ; the fire in which
wicked men are hereafter to be tormented ! And if the thought
of suffering this devouring fire for one minute would be eriough
to fill one with such surprising fearfulness, what will seize
them, when they shall know that they are to bear il, not for
one minute, nor for one day, nor for one year, nor for one age,
nor for a hundred ages, nor for a million of ages, one after an-
other, hut f err ever and ever ; without any end, and never, never
be delivered I
They shall know, that the fire itself will be everlasting
fire ^ fire that never shall be quenched : Mark ix. 43, 44. To go
into hell, mto the fire that never shall be quenched ; where their
worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And they shall
know that their torment in that fire never will have an end.
SER. XI. Why sinners znll he surprised. 451
Rev. xiv. 10, 11. They shall know that they shall for ever be
full of quick sense within and without; their heads, their ey€s,
their tongues, their hnnds, their feet, their loins, and their
vitals, shall for ever be full of glowing melting fire, fierce
enough to melt the very rocks and elements ; and also that
they shall eienmWy be full of the most quick and lively sense
to feel the torment.
They shall know that they shall never cease restlessly to
plunge and roll in that mighty ocean of fire. They shall know
that those billows of fire, which are greater than the greatest
mountains, will never cease to roll over them, following one an-
other ybr ever and ever.
At the same time they will have a more lively sense of
eternity than we ever can have here. We can have but a little
sense of what an eternal duration is ; and indeed none can com-
prehend it; it swallows up all thought and imagination: if we
set ourselves to think upon it, we are presently lost. But
they will have another and far clearer sense of it than we have.
O how vast will eternity appear to them, when they think of
spending it in such burnings ? This is another reason that fear-
fulness will surprise them. The thoughts of eternity will always
amaze them, and will sink and depress them to a bottomless
depth of despair.
3. The third reason given in the text, why fearfulness will
surprise them at the apprehension of this punishment, is, that
that they will know, they shall not be able to hear it. When
they shall see themselves going into that devouring fire, they
will know that they are not able to bear it. They will know
that they are not able to grapple with the fierceness and
rage of those flames ; tor they will see the fierceness of the
wrath of God in them; they will see an awful manifestation of
Omnipotence in the fury of that glowing furnace. And in
those views their hearts will utterly fail them ; their hands will
not be strong nor can their hearts endure. They will see that
their strength is weakness ; and that they can do nothing in such
a conflict.
When they shall have come to the edge of the pit, and of
the burning lake, and shall look into the furnace, then they will
cry out with exclamations like these: O! what shall I do?
how shall I bear the torments of this fire ? how can I endure
them ? Who can endure ? where is the man so stout-hearted,
where is the giant of such strength and such courage, that he
can bear this? O! what shall I do? Must I be cast in thi-
ther? I cannot bear it ; 1 can never endure it. O that I could
return to my first nothing ! How can I endure it one moment ?
how much less can I endure it for ever and ever ? And must I
bear it for ever? what! for ever and ever, without any end,
and never find any refuge, never be suffered to return to my
■L6-2 PRACTICAL bERMOAs,
first nothing, and be no nearer to the end of these sutTeringc
after millions of ages ? O what dismal contention? and shrieks,
and shaking of loins, and gnashing of teeth, will there be then!
No wonder that fearfulness will then surprise the wicked,
SECT. IV.
Wht/ it will be especially thus with sinners in Zion, who dwell
among Godh visible people.
There will hereafter be a very great difference between
sinners in Zion and other sinners; a great difference between
the most pointed hypocrite of them all, and the drunkards, the
adulterers, the Sodomites, the thieves, and murderers among
the heathen, who sin against only the light of nature. The
fearfulness which will surprise them, although it will be \ery
dreadful, yet will be in no measure so amazing and horrible, as
that which will seize the sinners in Zion. That fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God, which they will sufTer, will be mild and
moderate in comparison with that which the sinners in Zion
^ill suffer.
The wrath of God is in his word manifested against the
wicked Heathens ; but it is ten times as much manifested
against those sinners who make the profession and enjoy the
privileges of the people of God ; and yet remain enemies to
God. Both the Old Testament and the New are full of terri-
ble denunciations against such. Read the books of Moses,
read the prophets, and you will find them full of dieadful
threatenings against such. Read over the history of Christ's
life and the speeches which he made when upon earth'; there
you will see what woes and curses he frequently denounced
against such. How often did he say. that it should be more
tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than
for the cities in which most of his mighty works were done !
Read over the history of the Acts of the A[>ostles, and their
Epistles; there you will find the same. It is the sinners in Zion
or hypocrites, that are always in scripture spoken of as the
people of God's wrath : Isa. x. 6. / will send him against an
hypocritical nation, against the people of my wrath will I give
him a charge, to take the spoil. — The reasons are chiefly these ;
1. That they sin against so much greater light. This is
often spoken of in scripture, as an aggravation to the sin and
wickedness of sinners in Zion. He that knows not his Lord's
will, and doeth it not, is declared not to be worthy of so many
stripes, as he who, being informed of his Lord's will, is in like
manner disobedient. If men be blind, they have comparatively
no sin ; but when they see, when they have light to know their
w
SER. XI. An earnest exhortation to sinners. 453
duty, and to know their obligation, then their sin is great, John
ix. 14. When (he li^ht that is in a man is darkness how great
is that darkness ! and when men live in wic ktdiiess, in the
midst of great hght, that Mght is hke to be the blackness of
darkness indeed.
2. That they sin against such professions and vozos. The
Heathens never pretended to be the worshippers of the true
God. They never pretended to be Christ's disciples ; they
never came under any covenant-obliirations to be such. But
this is not the case with sinners in Zion. Now, God highly
resents falsehood and treachery. Judas, who betrayed Christ
with a kiss, was a greater sinner, and much more the object of
God's wrath, than Pilate who condemned him to be crucified,
and was his murderer.
3. That they sin against so much greater mercy. They
have the infinite mercy of God, in giving his own Son, often set
before them : they have the dying love of Christ represented
to them : they have this mercy, this glorious Saviour, his blood
and righteousness, often offered to them : they have a blessed
opportunity to obtain salvation for their souls ; a great price is
put into their hands to this end : they have that precious trea-
sure, the holy scriptures, and enjoy Sabbaths, and sacraments,
and the various means of grace: but all these means and advan-
tages, these opporttinities, offers, mercies, and invitations, they
abuse, despise, and reject.
But there is no wrath like that which arises from mercy
abused and rejected. When mercy is in thi-^ way turned into
wrath, this is the fiercest wrath. — Sinners in Zion, beside their
fall by the first Adam, have a fall also by the second : he is a
stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, at which they stumble
and fall ; and there is no fall like this ; the fall by the first
Adam is light in comjiarison with it.
On these accounts, whenever we see the day of judgment,
as every one of us shall see it, we shall easily dislinginsh be-
tween the sitmers in Zion and other sirmers. by their shriller
cries, their louder, more bitter, and dolorous shriek<, the
greater amazement of their countenances, and the more dismal
shaking of their limbs, and contortions of their bodies.
SECT. V.
An earnest Exhortation to sinners in Zion, nozo to jiy from the
devouring fire and everlasting burnings.
You have often been exhorted to f]y from the " wrath to
come." This devourin.' fire these everlasting burnings, of
which we have been speaking, are the wrath to come. You
454 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
hear of this fire, of these burnings, and of that fearfulness which
will seize and surprise sinners in Zion hereafter; and O what
reason have you of thankfulness that you only hear of them,
that you do not as yet feel them, and that they have not al-
ready taken hold of you ? They are, as it were, following you,
and coming nearer and nearer every day. Those fierce flames
are already kindled in the wrath of God; yea, the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God burn against you ; it is ready for
you : that pit is prepared for you, with fire and much wood,
and »he wrath of the Lord, as a stream of brimstone, doth kin-
die it.
Lot was with great urgency hastened out of Sodom, and
commanded to make haste, and fly for his life, and escape to
the mountains, lest he should be consumed in those flames
which burned up Sodom and Gomorrah. But that burning was
a mere spark to that devouring fire, and (hose everlasting burn-
ings of which you are in danger. Therefore improve the pre-
sent opportunity.
Now, God is pleased again to pour out his spirit upon us ;
and he is doing great things among us. God is indeed come
again, the same great God who so wonderfiilly appeared among
us some years ago, and who hath since, for our sins, departed
from us, left us so long in so dull and dead a state, and hath let
sinners alone in their sins ; so that there have been scarcely
any signs to be seen of any such work as conversion. That
same God is now come again ; he is really come in like man-
ner, and begins, as he did before, gloriously to manifest his
mighty power, and the riches of his grace. He brings sinners
out of darkness into marvellous light. He rescues poor cap-
tive souls out of the hands of Satan ; he saves persons from the
devonring fire : he plucks one and another as brands out of the
burnings ; he opens the prison-doors, and knocks off their
chains, and brings out poor prisoners ; he is now working sal-
vation among us from this very destruction of which you have
now heard.
Now, now, then, is the time ; now is the blessed opportu-
nity to escape those everlasting burnings. Now God hath again
set open the same fountain among us, and gives one more happy
opportunity for souls to escape. Now he hath set open a wide
door, and he stands in the door-way, calling and begging with
a loud voice to the sinners of Zion : Come, saith he, come, fly
from the wrath to come ; here is a refuge for you ; fly hither
for refuge ; lay hold on the hope set before you.
A little while ago, it was uncertain whether we should ever
see such an opportunity again. If it had always continued as
it hath been for some years past,* almost all of you would surely
* This was written in 1740, five or six years after the former revival had
ceased.
SER. XI. An earnest exhortation to sinners. • 455
have gone to hell; in a little time, fearfulness would have sur-
prised you, and }ou would have been cat-t info that devouring
fire, and those everlasting burnings. But in infinite mcrrx God
gives another opportunity ; and blessed are your e}es, that they
see it, if you did but know your own o()p()rtunily.
You have had your life spared through these six jears (tast,
to this very time, to another outpouring of the Spirit. What
would you have done, if you had died before it came ? How
doleful would your case have been ! But you have reason to
bless God that it was not so, and that you are yet alive, and now
again see a blessed day of grace. And will you not improve
it ! Have you not so much love to your poor souls, as to im-
prove such an opportunity as this ?
Some, there is reason to think, have lately fled for refiige
to Christ; and will you be willing to stay behind still, poor
miserable captives, condemned to suffer for ever in the lake of
fire 1 Hereafter, you will see those of your neighbours and
acquaintance, who are converted, mounting up as with wings,
with songs of joy, to meet their Lord ; and if you remain un-
converted, you, at the same time, will be surprised with fear,
and horror will take hold of you, because of the devouring fire,
and the everlasting burnings.
It is an awful thing to think of, that there are now some
persons in this very congregation, here and there, who will be
the subjects of that very misery of which we have now heard,
although it be so dreadful, although it be so intolerable, and al-
though it be eternal ! There are, probably, some now reading
or hearing this discourse, who shall be seen, at the day of judg-
ment, among the devils, at the left hand of the judge, with
frighted, ghastly countenances ; wringing their hands, gnashing
their teeth, shrieking and crying out.
Now we know not their names, nor where to look for them.
But God knoweth their names, and now seeth and knoweth
what they think, and how much they regard the warnings which
are given them this day. We have not the least reason to sup-
pose any other than that some of you will hereafter see others
entering into glory with Christ, and saints, and angels, while
you, with dreadful horror, shall see the fire begin to kindle about
you. It may be, that the persons are now blessing themselves
in their own hearts, and each one saying with himself. Well, I
do not intend it shall be I. Every one hopes to go to hea-
ven; none would, by any means, miss of it. If any thought
they should .niss of it, they would be greatly amazed. But all
will not go thither; it will undoubtedly be the portion of some to
toss and tumble forever among the fier} billows of God's wrath.
It is not to be supposed, but that there are some here who
will not be in earnest ; let them have ever so good an opportu-
nity to obtain heaven, they will not thoroughly improve it. Tell
456 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
them of hell as often as you will, and set it out in as lively co-
lour- a- you will, the) will be slack and slothful ; and the) will
never be likeiy to obtain heaven^ while ihey are sleeping, and
dreaming, and intending, and hoping. The wralh of God, which
pursues ttiem, will take them by the heels; hell, that follows
after, will overtake them; fearfulness will surprise them, and a
temj'est will steal them away.
Nor is it to be supposed, that all who are now seeking, will
hold out ; some will backslide ; they will be unsteady. If now
they seem to be pretty much engaged, it will not hold. Times
will probably alter by and by, and they having not obtained
grace, there will be many temptations to backsliding, with which
the\ will comply. The hearts of men are \ery unsteady ; they
are not to be trusted. Men are very >hort winded; ihev can-
not tell how to have patience to wait upon God ; they are soon
discouraged. Some that are now under convictions, may lose
them. Perhaps they will not leave otT seeking salvation at
once ; but they will come to it by degrees. After a while, they
will begin to hearken to excuses, not to be quite so constant in
duty; they will begin to think that the) need not be quite so
strict ; they will say to themselves, they see no hurt in such and
such things ; they see not but they may practise them without
any great guilt. Thus giving way to temptations, and hearken-
ing to excuses, they will, by degrees, lose their convictions, and
become secure in sin.
There were some who were guilty of backsliding, the last
time of the revival of religion among us. While the talk upon
religious sub,ects was generally kept alive, they continued to
seek ; but when this began to abate, and they saw others less
zealous than they had been, and especially when they saw some
miscarriages of professors, they began to grow more careless,
to seek less earnestly, and to plead these things as an excuse.
And they are left behind still ; they are to this day in a misera-
ble condemned -tate, in danj;,er of the devouring fire, and of
everlasting burnings ; in twice so dangerous a state as they were
in before they were awakened ; and God only knows what will
become of (hem. And as it was then, so we dread it will be now.
Some who are now in a natural condition, are doubtless
near death ; they have not long to live in the world, and if they
seek in a dull way. or if, after they have sought for a while
they are guilty of backsliding, death will come upon them long
enough before there will come such another opportunity. When
they leave otf seeking, it will not be without a design of seeking
again some time or other ; but death will be too quick for them.
It is not the maimer of death to wait upon men, while they take
time to indulge their sloth, and gratify their lusts. When his
appointed time co nes, he will do his work. Will you put oflf
in hope of seeing another such time seven years hence ? Alas ?
SER. XI. An earnest exhortcUioa to ainiLcii. ■\o7
how many of those who are now in a natural condition may
be in hell before another seven years shall have elapsed !
Therefore now let every one look to himself. It is for your
own souls salvation. If you be foolish, and will not hearken to
counsel, will not improve the opportunity when it is given you,
and will not enter into such an open door, you alone must bear
it. If you shall miss this opportunity, and quench your con-
victions now, and there shall come another time of the outpour-
ing of the spirit, you will be far less likely to have any profit by
it ; as we see now God chiefly moves on the hearts of those who
are very young, who are brought forward upon the stage of
action since the last outpouring of the Spirit, who were not then
come to years of so much understanding, and consequently not
so much in the way of the influence of the Spirit. As to those
who were grown up, and had convictions then, and quenched
them, the most of these are abundantly more hardened, and
seem to be more passed over. So it will probably be with you
hereafter, if you miss this opportunity, and quench the convic-
tions of the spirit which you have now.
As to you who had awakenings the last time of the out-
pouring of the spirit, and have quenched them, and remain to
this day in a natural condition, let me call upon you also, now
that God is giving you one more such opportunity. If passing
in impenitence through one such opportunity hath so hardened
you, and hath been such a great disadvantage to you, how sad
will your case be, if you shall now miss another ! Will you not
now thoroughly awake out of sleep, bestir yourselves for your
salvation, and resolve now to begin again, and never leave oft"
more ? Many fled for refuge from the devouring fire before,
and you were left behind. Others have fled for refuge now,
and still you are left behind ; and will you always remain be-
hind ? Consider, can you dwell with devouring fire ? can you
dwell with everlasting burnings ? Shall children, babes and
sucklings, go into the kingdom of God before you ?
How will you hereafter bear to see them coming and sitting
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God,
when yourselves are thrust out, and are surprised with fearful-
ness at the sight of that devouring fire, and those everlasting
burnings, into which you are about to be cast ? Take heed lest
a like threatening be fulfilled upon you with that which we have
in Numb. xiv. 22, 23. " Because all those men which have seen
my glory, and my miracles which I did in Egypt, and in the wil-
derness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have
not hearkened to my voice ; surely they shall not see the land
which I sware unto their fathers ; neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it." Together with ver. 31. "But your little
ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in. and
they shall know the land which ye have despised."'
Vol. VI. 58
SERMON XII.*
I
AJJHEN THE WICKED SHALL HAVE FILLED TP THE
MEASURE OF THEIR SIN, WRATH WILL COME
UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST.
1 Thess. ii. 16.
To Jill up their sins alway ^ for the xorath is C07ue upon them to
the uttermost.
In verse 14. the apostle commends the Christian Thessalo-
nians that they became the followers of the churches of Gotl
in Judea, both in faith and in sufferings ; in faith, in that they
received the word? not as the word of man, but as it is in truth
the word of God : in sufferings, in that they had suffered like
things of their own countrymen, as they had of the Jews.
Upon which the apostle sets forth the persecuting, cruel, and
perverse wickedness of that people, " who both killed the Lord
Jesus and their own prophets, and have," says he, " persecuted
us ; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men, for-
bidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved."
Then come in the words of the text ; " To fill up their sins
alway ; for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
In these words we may observe two things :
1. To what effect was the heinous wickedness and obsti-
nacy of the Jews, viz. to fill up their sins. God hath set
bounds to every man's wickedness ; he suffers men to live,
and to go on in sin, till they have filled up their measure, and
then cuts them off. To this effect was the wickedness and ob-
stinacy of the Jews : they were exceedingly wicked, and there-
by filled up the measure of their sins a great pace. And
* Dated Mav, 1735.
t5ER. XII. JVralh upon the Wicked to the uttermost, 459
the reason why they were permitted to be so obstinate under the
preaching and miracles of Christ, and of the apostles, and under
all the means used with them, was that they might till up the
measure of their sins. This is agreeable to what Christ said,
Matt, xxiii. 31, 32. "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto your-
selves, that ye are the children of them which killed the pro-
phets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers."
2. The punishment of their wickedness: "The wrath is
come upon them to the uttermost." There is a connexion
between the measure of men's sin, and the measure of punish-
ment. When they have filled up the measure of their sin, then
is filled up the measure of God's wrath.
The degree of their punishment, is the uttermost degree.
This may respect both a national and personal punishment.
If we take it as a national punishment, a little after the time
when the epistle was written, wrath came upon the nation of
the Jews to the uttermost, in their terrible destruction by the
Romans ; when, as Christ said, " was great tribulation, such
as never was since the beginning of the world to that time,'*
Matt. xxiv. 21. That nation had before suffered many of the
fruits of divine wrath for their sins ; but this was beyond all,
this was their highest degree of punishment as a nation. If we
take it as a personal punishment, then it respects their punish-
ment in hell. God often punishes men very dreadfully in this
world ; but in hell " wrath comes on them to the uttermost.'''
By this expression is also denoted the certainty of this punish-
ment. For though the punishment was then future, yet it is
spoken of as present: "The wrath u come upon them to the
uttermost." It was as certain as if it had already taken place.
God, who knows all things, speaks of things that are not as
though they were ; for things present and things future are
equally certain with him. It also denotes the near approach
of it. The wrath is come; i. e. it is just at hand ; it is at the
door ; as it proved with respect to that nation ; their terrible
destruction by the Romans was soon after the apostle wrote
this epistle.
Doctrine. When those that continue in sin shall Lave
filled up the measure of their sin, then wrath will come upon
them to the uttermost.
1. Prop. There is a certain measure that God hath set to
the sin of every wicked man. God says concerning the sin of
man, as he says to the raging waves of the sea, Hitherto shalt
thou come, and no further. The measure of some is much
greater than of others. Some reprobates commit but a little sin
in comparison with others, and so are to endure proportionably
a smaller punishment. Thfre are manv vessels of wrath : but
460 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
some are smaller, and others greater vessels ; some will contain
comparatively but little wrath, others a greater measure of it.
Sometimes, when wc see men go to dreadful lengths, and be-
come very heinously wicked, wc are ready to wonder that God
lets them alone. He sees them go on in such audacious wicked-
ness, and keeps silence, nor does any thing to interrupt them, but
they go smoothly on, and meet with no hurt. But sometimes
the reason why God lets them alone is, because they have not
filled up the measure of their sins. When they live in dread-
ful wickedness, they are but filling up the measure which God
hath limited for them. This is sometimes the reason whj God
suffers very wicked men to live so long ; because their iniquity
is not full : Gen. xv. 16. " The iniquity of the Amorites is not
yet full." For this reason also God sometimes suffers them to
live in prosperity. Their prosperity is a snare to them, and an
occasion of their sinning a great deal more. Wherefore God
suffers them to have such a snare, because he suffers them to
fill up a larger measure. So, for this cause, he sometimes suf-
fers them to live under great light, and great means and advan-
tages, at the same time to neglect and misimprove all. Every
one shall live till he hath filled up his measure.
II. Prop. While men continue in sin, they are filling the
measure set them. This is the work in which they spend their
whole lives ; they begin in their childhood ; and, if they live to
grow old in sin, they still go on with this work. It is the work
with which every day is filled up. They may alter their busi-
ness in other respects ; they may sometimes be about one thing,
and sometimes about another ; but they never change from this
work of filling up the measure of their sins. Whatever they
put their hands to, they are still employed in this work. This
is the first thing that they set themselves about when they awake
in the morning, and the last thing they do at night. They arc
all the while treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, and
the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. It is a gross
mistake of some natural men, who think that when they read
and pray, they do not add to their sins ; but, on the contrary,
think they diminish their guilt by these exercises. They think,
that instead of adding to their sins, they do something to satisfy
for their past offences ; but, instead of that, they do but add to
the measure by their best prayers, and by those services with
which they themselves arc most pleased.
III. Prop. ^Vhen once the measure of their sins is filled
up, then wrath will come upon them to the uttermost. God
will then wait no longer upon them. Wicked men think that
God is altogether such an one as themselves, because, when
they commit such wickedness, he keeps silence. " Because
sER. xn. Wrath upon the Wicked to the uttermost. 461
judgment against an evil work is not executed speedily, there-
fore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do
evil." But when once they shall have filled up the measure of
their sins, judgment will be executed ; God will not bear with
them any longer. Now is the day of grace, and the day of pa-
tience, which they spend in filling up their sins ; but when their
sins shall be full, then will come the day of wrath, the day of the
fierce anger of God. — God often executes his wrath on ungodly
men, in a less degree, in this world. He sometimes brings
afflictions upon them, and that in wrath. Sometimes he ex-
presses his wrath in very sore judgments ^ sometimes he appears
in a terrible manner, not only outwardly, but also in the inward
expressions of it on their consciences. Some, before they died,
have had the wrath of God intlicted on their souls in degrees
that have been intolerable. But these things are only forerun-
ners of their punishment, only slight foretastes of wrath. God
never stirs up all his wrath against wicked men while in this
world ; but when once wicked men shall have filled up the
measure of their sins, then wrath will come upon them to the
uttermost; and that in the following respects :
1. Wrath will come upon them without any restraint or
moderation in the degree of it. God doth always lay, as it
were, a restraint upon himself; he doth not stir up his wrath;
he stays his rough wind in the day of his east wind ; he lets not
his arm light down on wicked men with its full weight. But
when sinners shall have filled up the measure of their sins,
there will be no caution, no restraint. His rough wind will not
be stayed nor moderated. The wrath of God will be poured
out like fire. He will come forth, not only in anger, but in the
fierceness of his anger ; he will execute wrath with power, so
as to show what his wrath is, and make his power known.
There will be nothing to alleviate his wrath ; his heavy wrath
will lie on them, without any thing to lighten the burthen, or to
keep off, in any measure, the full weight of it from pressing the
soul. His eye will not spare, neither will he regard the sinner's
cries and lamentations, however loud and bitter. Then shall
wicked men know, that God is the Lord ; they shall kno\v how
great that majesty is which they have despised, and how dreadful
that threatened wrath is which they have so little regarded.
Then shall come on wicked men that punishment which they
deserve. God will exact of them the uttermost farthing. Their
iniquities are marked before him ; they are all written in his
book ; and, in the future world, he will reckon with them, and
they must pay all the debt. Their sins are laid up in store with
God ; they are sealed up among his treasures ; and them he
will recompense, even recompense into their bosoms. The
consummate degree of punishment will not be executed till the
day of judgment; but the wicked are sealed over to this con-
462 PRACTICAL SERMOKS»
summate punishment immediately after death ; they are cast
into hell, and there hound in chains of darkness to the judgment
of the great day ; and they know that the highest degree of pu-
nishment IS coming upon them. Final wrath will he executed
without any mixture; all mercy, all enjoyments will be taken
away. God sometimes expresses his wrath in this world ; but
here good things and evil are mixed together; in the future,
there will be otily evil things.
2. Wrath will then be executed without any merciful
circumstances. The judgments which God executes on
ungodly men in this world, are attended with many merciful
circumstances. There is much patience and long-sufTering,
together with judgment; judgments are joined with continu-
ance of opportunity to seek mercy. But in hell there will be
no more exercises of divine patience. The judgments which
God exercises on ungodly men in this world are warnings to
them to avoid greater punishments ; but the wrath which will
come upon them, when they shall have filled up the measure
of their sin, will not be of the nature of warnings. Indeed
they will be effectually awakened, and made thoroughly sen-
sible, by what they shall suffer ; yet their being awakened and
made sensible will do them no good. Many a wicked man
hath suffered very awful things from God in this world, which
have been a means of saving good ; but that wrath which
sinners shall suffer after death will be no way for their good,
God will have no merciful design in it ; neither will it be pos-
sible that they should get any good by that or by any thing
else.
3. Wrath will so be executed, as to perfect the work to
which wrath tends, viz. utterly to undo the subject of it.
Wrath is often so executed in this life, as greatly to distress
persons, and bring them into great calamity ; yet not so as to
complete the ruin of those who suffer it ; but in another
world, it will be so executed, as to finish their destruction,
and render them utterly and perfectly undone ; it will take
away all comfort, all hope, and all support. The soul will
be, as it were, utterly crushed ; the wrath will be wholly
intolerable. It must sink, and will utterly sink, and will have
no more strength to keep itself from sinking, than a worm
would have to keep itself from being crushed under the weight
of a mountain. The wrath will be so great, so mighty and
powerful, as wholly to abolish all manner of welfare : Matt.
xxi. 44. " But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him
to powder."
4. When persons shall have filled up the measure of their
sin, that wrath will come upon them which is eternal. Though
men may suffer very terrible and awful judgments in this world,
yet those judgments have an end. They may be long continued.
sjiii. Xii. H'rath upon the IVicked to the uttermost. 463
yet they commonly admit of relief. Temporal distresses and
sorrows have intermissions and respite, and commonly by de-
grees abate and wear off; but the wrath that shall be executed,
when the measure of sin shall have been filled up, will have no
end. Thus it will be to the uttermost as to its duration ; it will
be of so long continuance, that it will be impossible it should be
longer. Nothing can be longer than eternity.
5. When persons shall have filled up the measure of their
sin, then wrath will come upon them to the uttermost of what
is threatened. Sin is an infinite evil ; and the punishment
which God hath threatened against it is very dreadful. The
threatenings of God against the workers of iniquity are very
awful ; but these threatenings are never fully accomplished
in this world. However dreadful things some men may suffer
in this life, yet God never fully executes his threatenings
for so much as one sin, till they have filled up the whole
measure. The threatenings of the law are never answered
by any thing that any man suffers here. The most awful
judgment in this life doth not answer God's threatenings, either
in degree, or in circumstances, or in duration. If the greatest
sufferings that ever are endured in this life should be eter-
nal, it would not answer the threatening. Indeed temporal
judgments belong to the threatenings of the law ; but these
are not answered by them ; they are but fore astes of the
punishment. " The wages of sin is death." No expressions
of wrath that are suffered before men have filled up the
measure of their sin, are its full wages. But //ten, God will
reckon with them, and will recompense into their bosoms the
full deserved sum,
APPLICATION.
The use I would make of this doctrine is, of warning
to natural men, to rest no longer in sin, and to make haste
to flee from it. The things which have been said, under
this doctrine, may well be awakening, awful considerations
to you. It is awful to consider whose wrath it is that abides
upon you, and of what wrath you are in danger. It is im-
possible to express the misery of a natural condition. It is
like being in Sodom, with a dreadful storm of fire and brim-
stone hanging over it, just ready to break forth, and to be
poured down upon it. The clouds of divine vengeance are
full, and just ready to burst. Here let those who yet con-
tinue in sin, in this town, consider particularly,
1. Under what great means and advantages you continue in
sin. God is now favouring us with very great and extraordina-
ry means and advantages, in that we have such extraordinary
tokens of the presence of God among us ; his spirit is so re-
464 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
markably poured out, and multitudes of all ages, and all suiir
are converted and brought honne to Christ. God appears
among us in the most extraordinary manner, perhaps, that ever
he did in New-England. The children of Israel saw many
mighty works of God, when he brought them out of Egypt; but
we, at this day, see works more mighty, and of a more glorious
nature.
We, who live under such light, have had loud calls ; but
now, above all. Now is a day of salvation. The fountain hath
been set open among us in an extraordinary manner, and hath
stood open for a considerable time : Yet you continue in sin,
and the calls that you have hitherto had, have not brought you
to be washed in it. What extraordinary advantages have you
lately enjoyed, to stir you up ! How hath every thing in the
town, of late, been of that tendency ! Those things which used
to be the greatest hinderances, have been removed. You have
not the ill examples of immoral persons to be a temptation to
you. There is not now that vain worldly talk, and ill company,
to divert you, and to be a hiuderance to you, which there used to
be. Now you have multitudes of good examples set before
you ; there are many now all around you, who, instead of di-
verting and hindering you, are earnestly desirous of your salva-
tion, and willing to do all that they can to move you to flee to
Christ : they have a thirsting desire for it. The chief talk in the
town has of late been about the things of religion, and has
been such as hath tended to promote, and not to hinder, your
souls' good. Every thing all around you hath tended to stir
you up ; and will you yet continue in sin?
Some of you have continued in sin till you are far ad-
vanced in life. You were warned when you were children ;
and some of you had awakenings then ; however, the time
went away. You became men and women ; and then you
were stirred up again, you had the strivings of God's Spirit;
and some of you have fixed the times when you would
make thorough work of seeking salvation. Some of you per-
haps determined to do it when you should be married and
settled in the world ; others when you should have finished
such a business, and when your circumstances should be so
and so altered. Now these times have come, and are past ;
yet you continue in sin.
Many of you have had remarkable warnings of Provi-
dence. Some of you have been warned by the deaths of near
relations ; you have stood by, and seen others die and go into
eternity ; yet this hath not been eflfectual. Some of you have
been near death yourselves^ have been brought nigh the grave
in sore sickness, and were full of your promises how you would
behave yourselves, if it should please God to spare your lives.
Some of you have very narrowly escaped death by dangerous
SER. XII. If rath upon, the llickcd to iitt nilei/uosi. 465
accidents ; but God was pleased lo spare yon, to give you a
further space to repent; yet you continue in sin.
Some of you have seen times of remarkable out-pourings
of the Spirit of God in this town in times past ; but it had
no good effect on you. You had the strivings of the Spirit
of God too, as well as others. God did not pass so by your
door, but that he came and knocked ; yet you stood it out.
Now God hath come again in a more remarkable manner than
ever before, and hath been pouring out his Spirit for some
months, in its most gracious influence : yet you remain in sin
until now. In the beginning of this awakening, you were
warned to flee from wrath, and to forsake your sins. You
were told what a wide door there was open, what an accepted
time it was, and were urged to press into the kingdom of God.
And many did press in ; they forsook their sins, and believed
in Christ; but you, wlicn you had seen it, repented not, that
you might believe him.
Then you were warned again, and still others have been
pressing and thronging into the kingdom of God. Many have
fled for refuge and have laid hold on Christ : yet you continue
in sin and unbelief. You have seen multitudes of all sorts, of
all ages, young and old, flocking to Christ, and many of about
your age and your circumstances ; but you still are in the
same miserable condition in which you used to be. You have
seen persons daily flocking to Christ, as doves to their windows.
God hath not only poured out his Spirit on this town, but also on
other towns around us, and they are flocking in there as well as
here. This blessing spreads further and further; many, far
and near, seem to be setting their faces Zion-ward : yet you
who live here, where this work first began, continue behind
still; you have no lot nor portion in this matter.
2. How dreadful the wrath of God is, when it is executed
to the uttermost. To make you in some measure sensible of that,
T desire you to consider whose wrath it is. The wrath of a king
is the roaring of a lion ; but this is the wrath of Jehovah, the
Lord God Omnipotent. Let us consider, what can we ration-
ally think of it? How dreadful must be the wrath of such a
Being, when it comes upon a person to the uttermost, without
any pity, or moderation, or merciful circumstances ! What must
be the uttermost of his wrath, who made heaven and earth by
the word of his power ; who spake, and it was done, who com-
manded, and it stood fast ! What must iiis wrath be, who com-
mandeth the sun, and it rises not, and sealeth up the stars !
What must his wrath be, who shakelh the earth out of its
place, and causeth the pillars of heaven to tremble ! What must
his wrath be, who rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, who
removeth the mountains out of their places, and overturneth
them in his anger ? What must his wrath be. whose majesty is
VoT,. VI. 50
466 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
SO awful, that no man could live in the sight of it! What must
the wrath of such a Being be, when it comes to the uttermost,
when he makes his majesty appear and shine bright in the
misery of wicked men ! And what is a worm of the dust before
the fury and under the weight of this wrath, which the stoutest
devils cannot bear, but utterly sink, and are crushed under it.
Consider how dreadful the wrath of God is sometimes in this
world, only in a little taste or view of it. Sometimes, when
God only enlightens conscience? to have some sense of his
wrath, it causes the stout-hearted to cry out ; nature is ready to
sink under it, when indeed it is but a little glimpse of divine
wrath that is seen. This hath been observed in many cases.
But if a slight taste and apprehension of wrath be so dreadful
and intolerable, what must it be when it comes upon persons
to the uttermost! When a few drops or a little sprinkling of
wrath is so distressing and overbearing to the soul, how
must it be when God opens the flood-gq.tes, and lets the mighty
deluge of bis w^rath come pouring down upon men's guilty
heads, and brings in all his waves and billows upon their
souls ! How little of God's wrath will sink them ! Psalm ii. 12.
" When his wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all
they that put their trust in him."
3. Consider, you know not what wrath God may be about
to execute upon wicked men in this world. Wrath may, in
some sense, be coming upon them, in the present life, to the
uttermost, for ought we know. When it is said of the Jews,
•• the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost," respect is
had, not only to the execution of divine wrath on that people
in hell, but that terrible destruction of Judea and Jerusalem,
which was then near approaching, by the Romans. We know
not but the wrath is now coming, in some peculiarly awful
manner, on the wicked world. God seems, by the things
which he is doing among us, to be coming forth for some great
thing. The work which hath been lately wrought among us is
no ordinary thing. He doth not work in his usual way,
but in a way very extraordinary ; and it is probable that it
is a forerunner of some very great revolution. We must not
pretend to say what is in the womb of Providence, or what is
in the book of God's secret decrees ; yet wc may and ought to
discern the signs of these times.
Though God be now about to do glorious things for his
church and people, yet it is probable that they will be ac-
companied with dreadful things to his enemies. It is the
manner of God, when he brings about any glorious revolution
for his people, at the same time to execute very awful judgments
on his enemies : Deut. xxxii. 43. " Rejoice, O ye nations,
with his people ; for he will avenge the blood of his servants,
and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be mer-
SER. xir. Wrathupon the Wicked to the uttermost, 467
ciful unto his land, and to his people." Isa. iii. 10, 11. ''Say
ye to the righteous, it shall be well with him : for they shall
eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it shall be
ill with him : for the reward of his hands shall be given him."
Isa. Ixv. 13, 14. " Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold,
my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry : behold, my ser-
vants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty : behold, my servants
shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed : behold my servants shall
sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and
shall howl for vexation of spirit." We find in scripture, that
where glorious times are prophesied to God's people, there are
at the same time awful judgments foretold to his enemies.
What God is now about to do, we know not : but this we may
know, that there will be no safety to any but those who are in
the ark. — Therefore it behoves all to haste and flee for their
lives, to get into a safe condition, to get into Christ ; then they
need not fear, though the earth be removed, and the mountains
carried into the midst of the sea ; though the waters thereof roar
and be troubled ; though the mountains shake with the swelling
thereof: for God will be their refuge and strength ; they
need not be afraid of evil tidings : their hearts may be fixed,
trusting in the Lord.
JSERMON XIII.
THE END OE THE WICKED CONTEMPLATED BY THE RIGHT-
EOUS ; OR THE TORMENTS OF THE WICKED IN HELL
NO OCCASION OF GRIEF TO THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN.
Rev. xviii. 20.
Rejoice over he)\ thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets,
for God hath avenged you on her,
INTRODUCTION.
In this chapter we have a very particular account of the
fall of Babylon, or the anti-christian church, and of the ven-
geance of God executed upon her. Here it is proclaimed that
Babylon the great is fallen, and become the habitation of devils,
and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean
and hateful bird ; that her sins had reached unto heaven, and
that God had remembered her iniquity ; that God gave com-
mandment to reward her, as she had rewarded others, to double
unto her double according to her works ; in the cup she had
filled, to fill to her double, and how much she had glorified
herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow to
give her. And it is declared, that these plagues are come upon
her in one day, death, mourning, and famine; and that she
should be utterly burnt with fire ; because strong is the Lord
zoho judgeth her.
These things have respect partly to the overthrow of the
anti-christian church in this world, and partly to the vengeance
of God upon her in the world to come. There is no necessity
to suppose, that such extreme torments as are here mentioned
will ever be executed upon Papists, or upon the anti-christian
church in this world. There will indeed be a dreadful and
'The substance of two posthumous discourses, dated March, 1773.
SER. xui. Inlroductioii' 467
visible overthrow ot' that idolatrous church in this world. But
we are not to understand the plagues here mentioned as exclu-
!iive of the vengeance which God will execute on the wicked
upholders and promoters of anti-christianism, and on the cruel
anti-christian persecutors, in another world.
This is evident by ver. 3. of the next chapter, where, with
reference to the same destruction of antichrist which is spoken
of in this chapter, it is said, "her smoke rose up for ever
and ever;" in which words the eternal punishment of anti-
christ is evidently spoken of. Antichrist is here repressenttd as
being cast into hell, and there remainirig for ever after ; he
hath no place any where else but in hell. This is evident by
ver. 20. of the next chapter, where, concerning the destruction
of antichrist, it is said, " And the beast was taken, and with him
the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and
them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive
into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."
Not but that the wicked anti-christians have in all ages gone
to hell as they died, and not merely at the fall of antichrist;
but then the wrath of God against antichrist, of which damna-
tion is the fruit, will be made eminently visible here on earth,
by many remarkable tokens. Then antichrist will be confined
to hell, and will have no more place here on earth ; much after
the same manner as the devil is said at the beginning of Christ's
thousand years reign on earth, to be cast into the bottomless
pit, as you may see in the beginning of the twentieth chapter.
Not but that he had his place in the bottomless pit before ; he
was cast down to hell when he fell at first: 2 Pet. ii. 4. Cast
them dozen to hell, and deliver them into chains of darkness.
But now, when he shall be sufTered to deceive the nations no
more, his kingdom will be confined to hell.
In this text is contained part of what John heard uttered
upon this occasion ; and in these words wc may observe,
1. To whom this voice is directed, viz. to the holy prophets
and apostles^ and the rest of the inhabitants of the heavenly
world. When God shall pour out his wrath upon the anti-
christian church, it will be seen, and taken notice of by all the
inhabitants of heaven, even by holy prophets and apostles.
Neither will they see as unconcerned spectators.
2. What they are called upon by the voice to do, viz. to
rejoice over Babylon now destroyed, and lying under the wrath
of God. They are not directed to rejoice over her in prospe-
rity but in flames, and beholding the smoke of her burning as-
cending up for ever and ever.
3. A reason given : For God hath avenged you on her ;
j. e. God hath executed just vengeance upon her, for shedding
'itiw PRACTICAL SERiMOA'S.
your blood, and cruelly persecuting you. For thus the matter
is represented, that antichrist had been guilty of shedding the
blood of the holy prophets and apostles, as in chap. xvi. 6.
For they have shed the blood of saints and of prophets. And in
ver. 24. of this context. In her zvas found the blood of pro-
phets 'and of saints^ and of all them that zoere slain on the earth.
Not that antichrist had hterally shed the blood of the prophets
and apostles ; but he hud shed the blood of those who were
their followers, who were of the same spirit, and of the same
church, and same mystical body. The prophets and apostles
in heav-eu are nearly related and united to the saints on earth ;
they live, as it were, in true Christians in all ages. So that by
slaying these, persecutors show that they would slay the pro-
phets and apostles, if they could ; and they indeed do it as
much as in them lies
On the same account. Christ says of the Jews in his time,
Luke xi. 50. "That the blood of all the prophets, which was
shed from (he foundation of the world, may be required of this
generation ; from the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zacha-
I'ias, which perished between the altar and the temple : verily I
say unto you, it shall be required of this generation." So
Christ him^^elf is said to have been crucified in the anti-christian
church, chap. si. 8. " And their dead bodies shall lie in the street
of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,
where also our Lord was crucified." So all the inhabitants of
heaven, all the saints from the beginning of the world, and the
angels also, are called upon to rejoice over Babylon, because of
God's vengeance upon her, wherein he avenges them ; they all
of them had in effect been injured and persecuted by antichrist.
Indeed they are not called upon to rejoice in having their re-
venge glutted, but in seeing justice executed, and in seeing the
love and tenderness of God towards them; manifested in his
severitv towards their enemies.
SECT. i.
When Ike saints in glory shall see the wrath of God t.iecuted o)l
iingodly men ^ it zoill be iio occasion of grief to them, bid of
rejoicing.
It is not only the sight of God's wrath executed on those
wicked men who are of the anti-christian church, which will be
occasion of rejoicing to the saints in glory ; but also the sight
of the destruction of all God's enemies: whether they have
been the followers of antichrist or not, that alters not the case,
if they have been the enemies of God, and of Jesus Christ.
All wicked men will at last be destroyed together, as being
5ER. xiii. Saints not grieved, 6/0, 469
united m the same cause and interest, as being all of Satan's
army. They will all stand together at the day of judgment,
as being all of the same company.
And if we understand the text to have respect only to a
temporal execution of God's wrath on his enemies ; that will
not alter the case. The thitig they are called ujion to rejoice
at, is the execution of God's wrath Uf)on his and (heir enemies.
And if it bj matter of rejoicing to them to see justice executed
in part upon them, or to see the begitming of the execution of
it in this world ; for the same reason will they rejoice with
greater joy, iu beholding it fully executed. For the thing here
mentioned as the foundation of their joy, is the execution of
just vengeance: Rejoice, for God hath avenged you on her.
Prop. 1. The glorified saiiits will see the wrath of God
executed upon ungodly men. This the scriptures plainly teach
us, that the righteous and the wicked in the other world sec
each other's state. Thus the rich man in heli, and Lazarus
and Abraham in heaven, are represented as seeing each other's
opposite states, in the 16th chap, of Luke. Tlie wicked in
their misery will see the saints in the kingdom of heaven ; Luke
xiii. '28. 29. " There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,
when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets iti the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."
So the saints in glory will see the misery of the wicked
under the wrath of God. Isa. Ixvi. 24. " And they shall go
forth and look on the carcases of the men that have transgressed
against me : for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire
be quenched." And, Rev. xiv. 9. 10. '" If any man worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in
his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indigna-
tion ; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb."
The saints are not here mentioned, being included in Christ,
as his members. The church is the fulness of Christ, and is
called Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12- So in the 19th chapter, ver. 2, 3.
the smoke of Babylon's torment is represented as rising up for
ever and ever, in the sight of the heavenly inhabitants.
At the day of judgment, the saints in glory at Christ's
right hand, will sec the wicked at the left hand in their amaze-
ment and horror; will hear the Judge pronounce sentence
upon them, saying, " Denart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels;" and will see them go
away into everlasting punishment. But the scripture seems
to hold forth to us, that the saints will not only see the misery
of the wicked at the day of judgment, but the fore-men-
tioned texts imply, that the state of the damned in hell
will be in the view of the heavenly inhabitants : that the two
470 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
worlds of happiness and misery will be in view of each olhci^
Tlio;igh we know not by what means, nor after what manner it
will be; yet the scriptures certainly lead us to think, that they
will some way or other have a direct and immediate apprehen-
sion of each other's state. The saints in filory will see how
the damned are tormented ; they will see God's threatenings
fulfilled, and his wraih executed upon them.
Prop II. When they shall see it, it will be no occasion of
grief to them. The miseries of the damned in hell will be
inconceivably great. When they shall come to hear the wrath
of the AlrnigSity poured out upon them without mixture, and
executed upon them without pity or restraint, or any mitiga-
tion ; it will doubtless cause anguish, and horror, and amaze-
ment vastly beyond all the sufferings and torments, that ever
any man endured in this world ; yea, beyond all extent of our
words or thoughts. For God in executing wrath upon ungodly
men will act like an Almighty God. The scripture calls this
wrath, God's fury, and \.\\e fierceness of his wrath p and we
are told that this is to show God's wrath, and to make his
power known ; or to make known how dreadful his wrath is,
and how great his power.
The saints in glory will see this, and be far more sensible
of it than now we can possibly be. They will be far more
sensible how dreadful the wrath of God is, and will better un-
derstand how terrible the sufferings of the damned are ; yet
this will be no occasion of grief to them. They will not be
sorry for the damned ; it will cause no uneasiness or dissatis-
faction to them ; but on the contrary, when they have this
sight, it will excite them to joyful praises. — These two things
are evidences of it :
1. That the seeing of the wrath of God executed upon
the damped, should cause grief in the saints in glory, is incon-
sistent with that state of perfect happiness in which they are.
There can no such thing as grief enter, to be an allay to the
happiness and joy of that world of blessedness. Grief is an
utter stranger in that world. God hath promised that he will
wipe away a!! tears from their eyes, and there shall be no
more sorrow. Rev. xxi. 4. and chap. vii. 17.
2. Thii sai;its in heaven possess all things as their own,
and therefore all things contribute to their joy and happiness.
The scriptures teach that the saints in glory inherit all things.
This God said in John's hearing, when he had the vision of
the New Jerusale'n ; Rev, xxi. 7. And the scriptures teach
us to undersla id this absolutely of all the works of creation
and providence. i Cor. iii. -21, 22. " All things are yours, w^he-
ther Paul, or ApoUos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death,
or things present, or things to come ; all are yours." Here the
apostle teaches, that all things in the world to come, or in the
fsER. XIII. Saints not grieved^ 4^c. 473
future and eternal world, are the saints' ; not only life but
death ; men and angels, and devils, heaven and hell, are
theirs, to contribute to their joy and happiness. Therefore
the damned and their misery, their sufferings and the wrath of
God poured out upon them, will be an occasion of joy to
them. If there were any thnig whatsoever that did not contri-
bute to their joy, but caused grief, then there would be some-
thing which would tiot be theirs.
That the torments of the damned arc no matter of grief,
but of joy to the inhabitants of heaven, is very clearly ex-
pressed in several passages of this book of Revelation ; parti-
cularly by chap. xvi. 5 — 7. and chap. xix. at the beginning.
SECT. 11.
Wht/ the sufferings of the wicked will not he cause of grief id'
the righteous, but the contrary.
1. Negatively ; it will not be because the saints in heaveii
are the subjects of any ill disposition ; but on the contrary,
this rejoicing of theirs will be the fruit of an amiable and ex-
cellent disposition ; it will be the fruit of a perfect holiness and
conformity to Christ, the holy lamb of God. The devil delights
in the misery of men from cruelty, and from envy and revenge,
and because he delights iu misery, for its own sake, from a ma-
licious disposition.
But it will be from exceedingly different principles, and
for quite other reasons, that the just damnation of the wicked
will be an occasion of rejoicing to the saints in glory. It will
not be because they delight in seeing the misery of others abso-
lutely considered. The damned sufifering divine vengeance will
be no occasion of joy to the saints merely as it is the misery of
others, or because it is pleasant to them to behold the misery
of others merely for its own sake. The rejoicing of the saints
on this occasion is no argument, that they are not of a most
amiable and excellent spirit, or that there is any defect on that
account, that there is any thing wanting, which would render
them of a more amiable disposition. It is no argument that
they have not a spirit of goodness and love reigning in them in
absolute perfection, or that herein they do not excel the great-
est instances of it on earth, as much as the stars are higher than
the earth, or the sun brighter than a glow-worm.
And whereas the heavenly inhabitants are in the text call-
ed upon to rejoice over Babylon, because God had avenged
them on her ; it is not to be understood, that they are to re-
ioice in having their revenge glutted, but to rejoice in seeing
Vol. VT. GO
474 VRACTieAL SERMONi.
the justice of God executed, and in seeing his love to them lu
executing it on his enemies.
2. Positively ; the sutFerings of the damned will be no occa-
sion of grief to the heavenly inhabitants, as they will have no
love nor pity to the damned, as such. It will be no argument of
want of a spirit of love in them, that they do not love the
damned ; for the heavenly inhabitants will ktjow that it is not
fit that they should love them, because they will know then,
that God has no love to them, nor pity for them : but that they are
the objects of God's eternal hatred. And they will then be
perfectly conformed to God in their wills and aflfections. They
will love what God loves, and that only. However the saints
in heaven may have loved the damned while here, especially
those of them who were near and dear to them in this world,
they will have no love to them hereafter.
It will be an occasion of their rejoicing, as thr glory of
God will appear in it. The glory of God appears in all his
works : and therefore there is no work of God which the saints
in glory shall behold and contemplate, but what will be an occa-
sion of rejoicing to them. God glorifies himself in the eternal
damnation of ungodly men. God glorifies himself in all that
he doth; but he glorifies himself principally in his eternal dispo-
sal of his intelligent creatures, some are appointed to everlast-
ing life, and others left to everlasting death.
The saints in heaven will be perfect in their love to God ;
their hearts will be all a flame of love to God, and therefore
they will greatly value the glory of God, and will exceedingly
delight in seeing him glorified. The saints highly value the
glory of God here in this, but how much more will they so do
in the world to come. They will therefore greatly rejoice in
all that contributes to that glory. The glory of God will in
their esteem be of greater consequence, than the welfare of
thousands and millions of souls. — Particularly,
(1.) They will rejoice in seeing the justice of God glorified
in the sufferings of the damned. The misery of the damned,
dreadful as it is, is but what justice requires. They in heaven
will see and know it much more clearly, than any of us do here,
they will see how perfectly just and righteous their punish-
ment is, and therefore how properly inflicted by the supreme
Governer of the world. They will greatly rejoice to see justice
take place, to see that all the sin and wickedness that have
been committed in the world, is remembered of God, and
has its due punishment. The sight of this strict and immutable
justice of God will render him amiable and adorable in their
eyes. They will rejoice when they see him who is their Fa-
ther and eternal portion, so glorious in his justice.
Then there will be no remaining difficulties about the
justice of God, about the absolute decrees of God, or any
sER. XIII. Why the sufferings of the. hoicked, d^c, 475
thing pertaining to the dispensations of God towards men.
But divine justice in the destruction of the wicked will then
appear as light without darkness, and will shine as the sun
without clouds, and on this account will they sing joyful songs
of praise to God, as we see the saints and angels do, when
God pours the vials of his wrath upon antichrist*, Rev. xvi.
5 — 7. They sing joyfully to God on this account, that true
o.nd righteous are his judgments; Rev. xix. 1 — 6. They see-
ing God so strictly just, will make them value his love the
more. Mercy and grace are more valuable on this account.
The more they shall see of the justice of God, the more will
they prize and rejoice in his love.
(2.) They will rejoice in it, as it will be a glorious mani-
festation of the pow 67- and majesty of God. God will show his
own greatness in executiisg vengeance on ungodly men. This
is mentioned as one end of the destruction of the ungodly ;
" What if God, willing to show his wrafh, and make his power
known, endured with much long suffering, the vessels of wrath
fitted to destruction?" God will hereby show how much he is
above his enemies. There are man) now in the world, who
proudly lift up themselves against God. There are many open
opposers of the cause and interest of Christ. They set their
mouth against the heavens, and their tongue zoalketh through the
earth. Then God will show his glorious power in destroying
these enemies.
The power of God is sometimes spoken of as very glori-
ous, as appearing in the temporal destruction of his enemies ;
Exod. XV. 6. " Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in
power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the
enemy." But how much more glorious will it appear in his
triumphing over, and dashing in pieces at once, all his enemies,
wicked men and devils together, all his haughty foes ! The
power of God will gloriously appear in dashing to pieces his
enemies as a potter's vessel. Moses rejoiced and sang when
he saw God glorify his power in the destruction of Pharaoh
and his host at the Red Sea. But how much more will the
saints in glory rejoice, when they shall see God gloriously
triumphing over all his enemies in their eternal ruin ! Then it
will appear how dreadful God is, and how dreadful a thing it
is to disobey and condemn him. It is often mentioned as a
part of the glory of God, that he is a terrible God. To see
the majesty, and greatness, and terribleness of God, appearing
in the destruction of his enemies, will cause the saints to
rejoice ; and when they shall see how great and terrible a
being God is, how will they prize his favour! how will they
rejoice that they are the objects of his love! how will they
476 I'llACXICAL SERMONS.
praise him the more joyfully, that he should choose them to b<;
his children, and to live in the enjoyment of him !
It will occasion rejoicing in them, as they will have the
greater sense of their own happiness, by seeing the contrary
misery. It is the nature of pleasure and pain, of happiness
and misery, greatly to heighten the sense of each other. Thus
the seeing of the happiness of others tends to make men
more sensible of their own calamities ; and the seeing of the
calamities of others tends to heighten the sense of our own
enjoyments.
When the saints in glory, therefore, shall see the doleful
state of the damned, how will this heighten their sense of the
blessedness of their own state, so exceedingly different from
it! When they shall see how miserable others of their fellow-
creatures are, who were naturally in the same circumstances
with themselves ; when they shall see the smoke of their tor-
ment, and the raging of the flames of their burning, and hear
their dolorous shrieks and cries, and consider that they in the
mean-time are in the most blissful state, and shall surely be in
it to all eternity ; how will they rejoice !
This will give them a joyful sense of the grace and love of
God to them, because hereby they will see how great a benefit
they have by it. When they shall see the dreadful miseries of
the damned, and consider that they deserved the same misery,
and that it was sovereign grace, and nothing else, which made
them so much to differ from the damned, that, if it had not
been for that, they would have been in the same condition ;
but that God from all eternity was pleased to set his love upon
them, that Christ hath laid down his life for them, and hath
made them thus gloriously happy for ever; O how will they
admire that dying love of Christ, which has redeemed them
from so great a misery, and purchased for them so great hap-
piness, and has so distinguished them from others of their
fellow-creatures ! How joyfully will they sing to God and the
Lamb, when they behold this !
SECT. III.
dn Objection ansxoercd.
The objection is, " If we are apprehensive of the damna-
tion of others now, it in nowise becomes us to rejoice at it, but
to lament it. If we see others in imminent danger of going to
hell, it is accounted a very sorrowful thing, and it is looked
upon as an argument of a senseless and wicked spirit, to look
upon it otherwise. When it is a very dead time with respect
.SER. xiir. JVhy the si^h'ings of the wicked, (i-c. 477
to religion, and a very degenerate and corrupt time among
a people, it is accounted a thing greatly to be lamented ; and on
this account, that at such times there are but few converted and
saved, and many perish. Paul tells us, that he had great hea
viness and continual sorrow in his heart, because so iiinuy of the
Jews were in a perishing state ; Rom. ix. 1, 2, 3. "I say the
truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness
in the Holy Ghost, that I h.ive great heaviness and coatuiual sor-
row in my heart. For I could wish that mjself were accursed
from Christ, for my brethren, my knismen according to (he flesh."
And if a neighbour die. and his death be attended with circum-
stances, which look darkly as to the state of his soul, we
account it a sorrowful thing, because he hath left us no more
comfortable grounds to hope for his salvation. Why is it not
then an unbecoming thing in the saints in glory to rejoice when
they see the damnation of the ungodly ?
A71S. 1. It is now our duty to love all men, though they
are wicked ; but it will not be a duty to love wicked men here-
after. Christ by many precepts in his word, hath made it our
duty to love all men. We are commanded to love wicked men,
and our energies and persecutors. But this command doth not
extend to the saints in glory, with respect to the damned in hell.
Nor is there the same reason that it should. We ought now to
love all, and even wicked men ; we know not but that God
loves them. However wicked any man is, yet we know not
but that he is one whom God loved from eternity ; we know
not but that Christ loved him with a dying love, had his name
upon his heart before the world was, and had respect to him
when he endured those bitter agonies on the cross. We
know not but that he is to be our companion in glory to all
eternity.
But this is not the case in another world. The saints in
glory will know concerning (he damned in hell, that God never
loved them, but that he hates them, and will be tor ever hated
of God. This hatred of God will be fully declared to them ;
they will see it, and will see the fruits of it in their misery.
Therefore, when God has thus declared his hatred of the
damned, and the saints see it, it will be no way becoming in the
saints to love them, nor to mourn over them. It becomes the
saints fully and perfectly to consent to what God doth, without
any reluctance or opposition of spirit ; yea it becomes them to
rejoice in every thing that God sees meet to be done.
JJns. 2. We ought now to seek and be concerned for the
salvation of wicked men, because now (hty are capable subjects
of it. Wicked men, though they may be very wicked, \etare ca-
pable subjects of mercy. It is yet a day of grace with them,
and they have the otFers of salvation. Christ is as yet seeking
their salvation; he is calling upon them, inviting and woomg
478 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
them ; he stands at the door and knocks. He is using many
means with them, is caMiiig them, saying, Turn ye^ turn 3/e,
zohy will ye die ? The day of his patience is yet continued to
them ; and if Christ is seeking their salvation, surely we ought
to seek il.
God is wont now to make men the means of one another's
salvation ; yea. it is his ordinary way so to do. He makes the
coiicerti and endeavours of his people the means of bringing
home many to Christ. Therefore the} ought to be concerned
for and endeavour it. But it will not be so in another world:
there wicked men will be no longer capable subjects of mercy.
The saints will know, that it is the will of God the wicked
should be miserable to all eternity. It will therefore cease to
be their duty any more to seek their salvation, or to be con-
cerned about their misery. On the other hand, it will be their
duty to rejoice in the will and glory of God. It is not our duty
to be sorry that God hath executed just vengeance on the devils,
concprning whom the will of God in their eternal state is al-
ready known to us.
Ans. .3. Rejoicing at the calamities of others now. rests not
on the same ground? as that of the saints in glory. The evil of
rejoicing a* others' calamities now, consists in our envy, or re-
venge, or some such disposition is gratified therein ; and not that
God i« tjlorified, that the majesty and justice of God gloriously
shine forth.
Ans. 4. The different circumstances of our nature now,
from what will be hereafter, make that a virtue now which will
be no virtue then. For instance, if a man be of a virtuous dis-
position, the circumstances of our nature now are such, that it
will necessarily show itself by natural affection, and to be with-
out natural affection is a very vicious disposition ; and is so
mentioned in Rom. i. 31. But natural affection is no virtue in
the saints in glory. Their virtue will exercise itself in a higher
manner.
Ans, 5. The vengeance inflicted on many of the wicked
will be a manifestation of God's love to the saints. One way
whereby God shows his love lo the saints, is by destroying their
enemies. God hath said. He that toucheth you, toucheth tht
apple of mine eye. And it is often mentioned in scripture, as an
instance of the great love of God to his people, that his wrath is
so awakened, when they are wronged and injured. Thus
Christ hath promised that God will avenge his own elect, Luke
xviii. 7. ; and hath said, that if any man offend one of his little
ones, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about
his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matt, xviii. 6.
So the saints in glory will see the great love of God to
them, in the dreadful vengeance which he shall inflict on those
SER. xiii. The ungodly warned. 479
who h^vo ininred and persecuted them ; and the view of this
love of God lo thenfi will be just cause of their rejoicing. Thus,
in the text, heaven and the holy apostle? and prophets are call-
ed to reioice over their enemies, because God hath avenged
them of them.
SECT. IV.
The ungodly warned.
I shall apply this subject only in one use, viz. o^ warning to
ungodly men. And in order to this, 1 desire such to consider,
1. How destitute of any comforting consideration your con-
dition will be, if you perish at last. You will have none to pity
you. Look which way you will, before or behind, on the right
hand or left, look up to heaven, or look about you in hell, and
you will see none to condole your case, or to exercise any pity
towards you, in your dreadful condition. You must bear these
flauies, you must bear that torment and amazement, day and
night, for ever, and never have the comfort of considering,
that there is so much as one that pities your case ; there never
will one tear be drop|)ed for you.
■(1.) You have now been taught that you will have no pity
from the created inhabitants of heaven If you shall look to
them, you will see them all rejoicing at the sight of the glory
of God's justice, power, and terrible majesty, manifested in
your torment. You will see them in a blissful and glorious
state; you will see Abraham, Isaac, and J;icob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of God ; you will see many come
from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from
the south, and sit down in that glorious kingdom ; and will see
them all with one voice, and with united joy, praising God for
glorifying himself in your destruction. You will wail and
gnash your teeth under your own torments, and with envy of
their happiness; but they will rejoice and sing: Isa. Ixv. 13,
14. "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, my servants shall eat,
but ye shall be hungry : behold, my servants shall drink, but ye
shall be thirsty : behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be
ashamed : behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye
shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit,
(2.) God will exercise no pit) towards you. If you might
have his pity in any degree, that would be of more worth to
you than thousands of worlds. That would make your case to
be not without comfort and hope. But God will exercise no
pity towards you. He hath often said concerning wicked men,
that his eye shall not spare, neither will he have pity, (Ezek.
V, 11. and vii. 4, 9. and viii, 18.) He will cast upon vou. and
480 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
not spare ; you will see nothing in God, and receive nothing
from him, but perfect hatred, and the fierceness of his wrath^
nothing but the mighty falls or outpourings of wrath upon you.
every moment ; and no cries will avail to move God to any pity
or id the least to move him to lighten his hand, or assuage the
fierceness and abate the power of jour torments.
Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, will have no pity on you.
Though he had so much love to sinners, as to be willing to lay
down his life for them, and offers you the benefits of his blood,
while you are in this world, and often calls upon you to accept
them ; yet then he will have no pity upon jou. You never will
hear any more instructions from him ; he will utterly refuse to
be yom- instructor: on the contrarjf he will be your judge, to
pronounce sentence against you.
(3.) You will find none that will pity you in hell. The de-
vils will not pity you, but will be your tormentors, as roaring
lions, or hell-h')unds, to tear you in pieces continually. And
other wicked men who shnll be there will be like devils ; they will
have no pity on you, but will hate and curse, and torment you.
And you yourselves will be like devils ; you will be like devils
to yourselves, and will be your own tormentors.
2. Consider what an aggravation, what you have heard
under this doctrine will be to your misery. Consider how itwill
be at the day of judgment, when you sJiall see Christ coming in
the clouds of heaven, when you shall begin to wail and cry, as
knowing that you are of those who are to be condemned ; and
perhaps you will be ready to fly to some of your godly friends ;
but you will obtain no help from them : you will see them un-
concerned for you, with joyful countenances ascending to meet
the Lord, and not the less joyful for the horror in which they see
you. And when you shall stand before the tribunal at the left
hand, among devils, trembling and astonished, and shall have
the dreadful sentence passed upon you, you will at the same
time see the blessed company of saints and angels at the right
hand rejoicing, and shall hear them shout forth the praises of
God. while they hear your sentence pronounced. You will then
see those godly people, with whom you shall have been acquaint-
ed, and who shall have been your neighbours, and with whom
you now often converse, rejoicing at the pronunciation and exe-
cution of your sentence.
Perhaps there are now some godly people, to whom you
are near and dear, who are tenderly concerned for you, are
ready to pity you under all calamities, and willing to help you ;
and particularly are tenderly concerned for your poor soul, arid
have put up many fervent prayers for you. How will you bear
to hear these singing for joy of heart, while you are crying for
sorrow of heart, and howling for vexation of spirit, and even
SER. xiii. Tilt Kngodly icurncd. - 481
singing the more joyful for the glorious justice of God which
they behold in your eternal condemnation !
You that have godly parents, who in this world have ten-
derly loved you, who were wont to look upon your welfare as
their own, and were wont to be grieved for you when any thing
calamitous befel you in this world, and especially were greatly
concerned for the good of your souls, industriously sought, and
earnestly prayed for their salvation ; how will you bear to sec
them in the kingdom of God, crowned with glory ? Or how
will you bear to see them receiving the blessed sentence, and
going up with shouts and songs, to enter with Christ into the
kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world,
while you are amongst a company of devils, and are turned away
with the most bitter cries, to enter into everlasting burnings,
prepared for the devil and his angels ? How will you bear to
see your parents, who in this life had so dear an affection for
you, now without any love to you, approving the sentence of
condemnation, when Christ shall with indignation bid you de-
part, wretched, cursed creatures, into eternal burnings ? How
will you bear to see and hear them praising the Judge, for his
justice exercised in pronouncing this sentence, and hearing it
with a holy joy in their countenances, and shouting forth the
praises and hallelujahs of God and Christ on that account ?
When they shall see what manifestations of amazement
there will be in you, at the hearing of this dreadful sentence, and
that every syllable of it pierces you like a thunderbolt, and sinks
you into the lowest depths of horror and despair: when they
shall behold you with a frighted, amazed countenance, trem-
bling and astonished, and shall hear you groan and gnash your
teeth ; these things will not move them at all to pity you, but
you will see them with a holy joyfulness in their countenances,
and with songs in their mouths. When they shall see you turn-
ed away and beginning to enter into the great furnace, and shall
see how you shrink at it, and hear how you shriek and cry out;
yet they will not be at all grieved for you, but at the same time
you will hear from them renewed praises and hallelujahs for the
true and righteous judgments of God, in so dealing with you.
Then you will doubtless remember how those your glorified
parents seemed to be concerned for your salvation, while you
were here in this world ; you will remember how they were
wont to counsel and warn you, and how little you regarded their
counsels, and how they seemed to be concerned and grieved,
and there appeared no more effect of their endeavours for the
good of your souls. You will then see them praising God for
executing just vengeance on you, for setting so light by their
counsels and reproofs. However here they loved you, and
were concerned for vou, now thev -will rise up in judgment
VOT.. VI. ' fil "
482 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
against you, and will declare how your sins are aggravated by
the endeavours which they to no purpose used with you, to
bring you to forsake sin and practise virtue, and to seek and
serve God ; but you were obstinate under all, and would not
hearken to them. They will declare how inexcusable you are
upon this account. And when the judge shall execute the more
terrible wrath upon you on this account, that you have made no
better improvement of your parents' instructions, they will
joyfully praise God for it. After they shall have seen you lie
in hell thousands of years and your torment shall yet continue
without any rest, day or night ; they will not begin to pity you
then ; they will praise God, that his justice appears in the eter-
nity of your misery.
You that have godly husbands, or wives, or brethren, or
sisters, with whom you have been wont to dwell under the same
roof, and to eat at the same table, consider how it will be with
you, when you shall come to part with them ; when they shall
be taken and you left ; Luke xvii. 34, 35, 36. " I tell you, in
that night, there shall be two men in one bed ; the one shall
be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding to-
gether ; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two men
shall be in the field ; the one shall be taken and the other left."
However you may wail and lament, when you see them parted
from you, they being taken and you left, you will see in them no
signs of sorrow, that you are not taken with them : that you as-
cend not witli them to meet the Lord in the air, but are left be-
low to be consumed with the world, which is reserved unto fire,
against the day of the perdition of ungodly men.
Those wicked men, who shall go to hell from under the la-
bours of pious and faithful ministers, will see those ministers
rejoicing and praising God upon the occasion of their destruc-
tion. Consider ye that have long lived under Mr. Stoddard's
ministry,"* and are yet in a natural condition, how dreadful it will
be to you, to see him who was so tenderly concerned for the
good of your souls while he was here, and so earnestly sought
your salvation, to see him rising up in judgment against you,
declaring your incxcusableness, declaring how often he warned
you ; how plainly he set your danger before you, and told you
of the opportunity that you had ; how fully he set forth the mi-
serable condition in which you were, and the necessity there
was that you should obtain an interest in Christ : how mo-
vingly and earnestly he exhorted you to get into a better state,
and how regardless you were ; how little you minded all that
he said to you ; how you went on still in your trespasses, hard-
ened your necks, and made your hearts as an adamant, and re-
fused to return ! How dreadful will it be to you to hear him
•■ The author's grandfather nnd predeeessor.
teER. Xixi. y/u; ungodly ivaraed. loo
declaring how inexcusable jou are upon these accounts ! How
will you be cut to the heart, when jou shall see him approving
the sentence of condemnation, which the Judge shall pronounce
against you, and judging and sentencing you with Christ, as an as-
sessor in judgment ; for the saints shall judge the world, (1 Cor.
vi. 2.) and when you shall see him rejoicing in the execution of
justice upon you for all your unprofitableness under his ministry !
3. Consider what a happy opportunity you have in youi'
hands now. Now your case is very different from the case of
wicked men in another world, of which you have now heard ;
and particularly in the following respects.
(1.) God makes it the duty of all the godly now to be con-
cerned for your salvation. As to those who are damned in hell,
the saints in glory are not concerned for their welfare, and have
no loye nor pity towards them ; and if you perish hereafter, it
will be an occasion of joy to all the godly. But now God makes
it the duty of all the godly, to love you with a sincere good-
will and earnest affection. God dolh not excuse men from lov-
ing you, for your ill qualities : though you are wicked and
undeserving, yet God makes it the duty of all sincerely to wish
well to you ; and it is a heinous sin in the sight of God, for
any to hate you. He requires all to be concerned forj^our sal-
vation, and by all means to seek it. It is their duty now to
lament your danger, and to pray for mercy to you, that you
may be converted and brought home to Christ.
Now the godly who know you, desire your salvation, and
are ready to seek, and pray for it. If you be now in distress
about the condition of your souls, you are not in such a forsa-
ken, helpless condition, as those that are damned ; but you may
find many to pray for you, many who are willing to assist you
by their advice and counsels, and all with a tender concern, and
with hearty wishes that your souls may prosper. Now some of
you have godly friends who are near and dear to you ; you are
beloved of those who have a great interest in heaven, and who
have power with God by their prayers : you have the blessing
of living under the same roof with them. Some of you have
godly parents to pray for you, and to counsel and instruct you,
who you may be sure will do it with sincere love and concern
for you. And there is not only the command of God, God
hath not only made it the duty of others to seek your salvation,
but hath given encouragement to others to seek it. He gives
encouragement that they may obtain help for you by their
prayers, and that they may be instrumental of your spiritual
good. God reveals it to be his manner, to make our sincere
endeavours a mean of each other's good. HoVv different is the
case with you from what it is with those that are already
484 PRACTICAL bKRMOMa.
damned! And how happy an opportunity have you in }oi!!
hands, if you would but improve it!
(2.) Now you live where there is a certain order of men
appointed to make it the business of their lives to seek your
salvation. Nov/ you have ministers, not to rise up in judgment
against you ; but in Christ's stead, to beseech you to be recon-
ciled to God ; 2 Cor. v. 20. God hath not only made it the duty ot'
all to wish well to your souls, and occasionally to endeavour
to promote your spiritual interests, but he hath set apart cer-
tain persons, to make it their whole work, in which they should
spend their days and their strength.
(3.) Christ himself is now seeking your salvation. lie
seeks it by the fore-mentioned means, by appointing men to
make it their business to seek it ; he seeks it by them ; they
are his instruments, and they beseech you in Christ's stead to
be reconciled to God. He seeks it, in commanding your
neighbours to seek it. Christ is represented in scripture, as
wooing the souls of sinners. He uses means to persuade them
to choose and accept of their own salvation. He often invites
them to come to him that they may have life, that they may
find rest to their souls, to come and take of the water of life
freely. He stands at the door and knocks ; and ceases not,
though sinners for a long time refuse him. He bears repeated
repulses from them, and yet mercifully continues knocking,
saying, " Open to me, that I may come in and sup with you,
and you with me." At the doors of many sinners he stands
thus knocking for many years together. Christ is become a
most importunate suitor to sinners, that he may become their
sovereign. He is often setting before them the need they
have of him, the miserable condition in which they are, and
the great provision that is made for the good of their souls ;
and he invites them to accept of this provision, and promises it
shall be theirs upon their mere acceptance.
Thus how earnestly did Christ seek the salvation of Jeru-
salem, and he wept over it when they refused ; Luke xix. 41,
42. " And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept
over it, saying. If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this
thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they
are hid from thine eyes." And Matt, xxiii. 37. " O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not !" Thus Christ is now seeking
your salvation ; such an opportunity have you now in your
hands ? Consider therefore how many means Christ is using
with you, to bring you to salvation.
Besides those things which have been now mentioned, some
of you have a degree of the inward strivings and influences of
.sfciK. xiii. The iXngodly ivanied, 485
the Spirit, which makes your opportunity much greater. You
have Christ's internal calls and knockings. All the persons of
the Trinity are now seeking your salvation. God the Father
hath sent his Son, who hath made way for your salvation, and
removed all difficulties, except those which are with your own
heart. And he is waiting to be gracious to you ; the door of
his mercy stands open to you ; he hath set a fountain open for
you to wash in from sin and uncleanness. Christ is calling, in-
viting, and wooing you 5 and the Holy Ghost is striving with you
by his internal motions and influences.
4. If you now repent, before it be too late, the saints and
angels in glory will rejoice at your repentance. If you repent
not till it is too late, they will, as you have heard, rejoice in
seeing justice executed upon you. But if you now repent, they
will rejoice at your welfare, that you who were lost, are found ;
that you who were dead, are alive again. They will rejoice
that you are come to so happy a state already, and that you arc
in due time to inherit eternal happiness. Luke xv. 3 — 10. So
that if now you will improve your opportunity, there will be
a very different occasion of joy in heaven concerning you,
than that of which the doctrine speaks ; not a rejoicing on oc-
casion of your misery, but on occasion of your unspeakable
blessedness.
5. If you repent before it is too late, you yourselves shall
be of that joyful company. They will be so far from rejoicing
on occasion of your ruin, that you yourselves will be of that
glorious company, who will rejoice in all the works of God,
who will have all tears wiped away from their eyes, to whom
there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and from
whom sorrow and sighing shall flee away. You yourselves will
be of those who will rejoice at the glorious display of God's
majesty and justice, in his wrath on his enemies. You will
be of those that shall sing for joy of heart at the day of judg-
ment, while others mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl
for vexation of spirit ; and you will enter into the joy of
your Lord, and there shall never be any end or abatement of
your joy !
SERmON XIV.
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF TIME, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
REDEEMING IT.
Eph. v. 16.
Redeeming the time.
Christians should not only study to improve the oppor-
tunities they enjoy, for their own advantage, as those who
would make a good bargain; but also labour to reclaim others
from their evil courses ; that so God might defer his anger,
and time might be redeemed from that terrible destruction
which, when it should come, would put an end to the time of
divine patience. And it may be upon this account, that this .
reason is added, Because the days are evil. As if the apostle
had said, the corruption of the times tends to hasten threaten-
ed judgments; but your holy and circumspect walk will tend
to redeem time from the devouring jaws of those calamities.
— However, thus much is certainly held forth to us in the
words , viz. That upon time we should set a high value, and
be exceeding careful that it be not lost ; and we are therefore
exhorted to exercise wisdom and circumspection, in order that
we may redeem it. And hence it appears, that Time is exceed-
ingly precious.
SECT. I.
Why time is precious.
Time is precious for the following reasons.
1. Because a happy or miserable eternity depends on the
good or ill improvement of it. Things are precious in propor-
tion to their importance, or to the degree wherein they concern
SER. XIV. JVki/ time is precious, 487
our welfare. Men are wont to set the highest value on those
things upon which they are sensible their interest chief!} de-
pends. And this renders time so exceedingly precious, because
our eternal welfare depends on the improvement of it. — Indeed
our welfare in this world depends upon its improvement. If
we improve it not, we shall be in danger of coming to poverty
and disgrace; but by a good improvement of it, we may ob-
tain those things which will be useful and comfortable. But
it is above all things precious, as our state through eternity
depends upon it. The importance of the improvement of time
upon other accounts, is in subordination to this.
Gold and silver are esteemed precious by men ; but they
are of no worth to any man, only as thereby he has an oppor-
tunity of avoiding or removing some evil or of possessing him-
self of some good. And the greater the evil is which any man
hath advantage to escape, or the good which he hatli advantage
to obtain, by any thing that he possesses, by so much the great-
er is the value of that thing to him, whatever it be. Thus if a
man, by any thing which he hath, may save his life, which he
must lose without it, he will look upon that by which he hath
the opportunity of escaping so great an evil as death, to be very
precious. — Hence it is that time is so exceedingly precious, be-
cause by it we have opportunity of escaping everlasting misery
and of obtaining everlasting blessedness and glory. On this
depends our escape from an infinite evil, and our attainment
of an infinite good.
2. Time is very short, which is another thing that renders
it very precious. The scarcity of any commodity occasions men
to set a higher value upon it, especially if it be tteressary and
they cannot do without it. Thus when Samaria was besieged
by the Syrians, and provisions were exceedingly scarce, " an
ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth
part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver." 2 Kings
vi. 25. So time is the more to be prized by men, because a
whole eternity depends upon it ; and yet we have but a little
of time. "■ When a few years are come, then I shall go
the way wh'^nce I shall not return." Job xvi. 22. " My days
are swifter than a post. They are passed away as the swift ships ;
as the eagle that hasteth to the prey." Job ix. 25, 26. " Our
life ; what is it ? it is but a vapour which appeareth for a little
time, and then vanisheth away." Jam. iv. 14. It is but as a
moment to eternity. Time is so short, and the work which we
have to do in it is so great, that we have none of it to spare.
The work which we have to do to prepare for eternity, must be
done in time, or it never can be done; and it is found to be a
work of great difficulty and labour, and therefore that for which
time is the more requisite.
488 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
3. Time ought to be esteemed by us very precious because
we are uncertain of its continuance. We know that it is
very short, but we know not how short. We know not how
little of it remains, whether a year or several years, or only a
month, a week, or a day. We are every day uncertain
whether that day will not be the last, or whether we are
to have the whole day. There is nothing that experience doth
more verify than this. — If a man had but little provision laid
up for a journey or a voyage, and at the same time knew that
if his provision should fail, he must perish by the way, he
would be the more choice of it. — How much more would
many men prize their time, if they knew that they had but a few
months, or a few days more to live ? And certainly a wise man
will prize his time the more, as he knows not but that it
will be so as to himself. This is the case with multitudes
now in the world, who at present enjoy health, and see no
signs of approaching death: many such, no doubt, are to die
the next month, many the next Aveek, yea, many probably to-
morrow, and some this night ; yet these same persons know
nothing of it, and perhaps think nothing of it, and neither
they nor their neighbours can say that they are more likely
soon to be taken out of the world than others. This teaches us
how we ought to prize our time, and how careful we ought to
be, that we lose none of it.
4. Time is very precious, because when it is past, it
cannot be recovered. There are many things which men pos-
sess, which if they part with, they can obtain them again.
If a man have parted with something which he had, not
knowing the worth of it, or the need he should have of it:
he often can regain it, at least with pains and cost. If a man
have been overseen in a bargain, and have bartered away
or sold something, and afterwards repent of it, he may
often obtain a release and recover what he had parted
with. — But it is not so with respect to time ; when once
that is gone, it is gone for ever ; no pains, no cost will recover
it. Though we repent ever so much that we let it pass,
and did not improve it while we had it, it will be to no
purpose. Every part of it is successively offered to us,
that we may choose, whether we will make it our own, or
not. But there is no delay; it will not wait upon us to
see whether or no we will comply with the offer. But if
we refuse it is immediately taken away, and never offered
more. As to that part of time which is gone, however we
have neglected to improve it, it is out of our possession and
out of our reach.
If we have lived fifty, or sixly, or seventy years, and have
not improved our time, now it cannot be helped ; it is eter-
nally gone from us : all that we can do, is to improve the
^
SER. XIV. Reflections on Time past, 489
little that remains. Yea, if a man have spent all his life
but a few moments unimproved, all that is gone is lost, and
only those (aw remaining moments can possibly be made
his own •, and if the whole of sr man's time be gone, and it
be all lost, it is irrecoverable. — Eternity depends on the
improvement of time ! but when once the time of life is gone,
when once death is cosne, we have no more to do with
time; there is no possibility of obtaining the restoration of
it, or another space in which to prepare for eternity. If a
man should lose the whole of his worldly substance, and
become a bankrupt, it is possible that his loss may be made
up. He may have another estate as good. But when the
time of life is gone, it is impossible that we should ever obtain
another such time. All opportunity of obtaining eternal
welfare is utterly and everlastingly gone.
SECT. II.
Rejiections on Time past.
You have now heard of the preciousness of time ; and yoti
are the persons concerned, to vyrhom God hath committed that
precious talent. You have an eternity before you. When
God created you, and gave you reasonable souls, he made
you for an endless duration. He gave you time here, in
order to a preparation for eternity, and your future eternity
depends on the improvement of time. — Consider, therefore,
what you have done with your past time. You are not now
beginning your time, but a great deal is past and gone ; and
all the wit, and power, and treasure of the universe, cannot
recover it. Many of you may well conclude, that more
than half of your time is gone ; though you should live to
the ordinary age of man, your glass is more than half run ;
and it may be there are but few sands remaining. Your
sun is past the meridian, and perhaps just setting, or
going into an everlasting eclipse. Consider, therefore, what
account you can give of your improvement of past time. How
have you let the precious golden sands of your glass run ?
Every clay that you have enjoyed has been precious ; yea,
your moments have been precious. But have you not wasted
your precious moments, your precious days, yea, your pre-
cious years? If you should reckon up how many days you
have lived, what a sum would there be ! and how precious hath
every one of those day? been ! Consider, therefore, what you
have done with them. What is become of them all? What
can you show of any improvement made, or good done, or be-
nefit obtained, answerable to all this time which vou have lived ?
Vor. VI. G2
490 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
When you look back, and search, do you not find this past time
of your lives in a great measure empty, having not been filled
up with any good improvement ? And if God, that hath given
you your time, should now call you to an account, what ac-
count could you give to him.
How much may be done in a year ! how much good
is there opportunity to do in such a space of time ! How
much service may persons do for God, and how much
for their own souls, if to their utmost they improve it! How
much may be done in a day ! But what have you done in so
many days and years that you have lived ? What have you
done with the whole time of your youth, you that are past
your youth ? What is become of all that precious season of life ?
Hath it not all been vain to you ? Would it not have been as
well or better for you, if all that time you had been asleep, or
in a state of non-existence ?
You have had much time of leisure and freedom from
worldly business ; consider to what purpose you have spent
it. You have not only had ordinary time, but you have
had a great deal of holy time. What have you done
with all the Sabbath-days which you have enjoyed? Con-
sider those things seriously, and let your own consciences
make answer.
SECT. 111.
Who are chiejly deserving of reproof from the subject of the
preciousness of time.
How little is the preciousness of time considered, and
how little sense of it do the greater part of mankind seem
to have ! and to how little good purpose do many spend their
time! There is nothing more precious, and yet nothing of
which men are more prodigal. Time is with many, as silver
was in the days of Solomon, as the stones of the street, and
nothing accounted of. They act as if time were as plenty
as silver was then, and as if they had a great deal more than
they needed, and knew not what to do with it. If men w£re
as lavish of their money as they are of their time ; if it were as
common a thing for them to throw away their money, as it is
for them to throw away their time, we should think them
beside themselves, and not in the possession of their right
minds. Yet time is a thousand times more precious than
money; and when it is gone, cannot he purchased for money,
cannot be redeemed by silver or gold. — There are several
sorts of persons who are reproved by this doctrine, whom I
shall particularly mention.
1^ER. xiv. The mis-improvers of Time rep?-oved. 491
r. Those who spend a great part of their time in idleness.
or in doing nothing that tarns to any account, either for
the good of their souls or bodies ; nothing either for their own
benefit, or for the benefit of their neiglibour, either of the
family or of the body-politic to which thej belong. There
are some persons upon whose hands time seems to lie heavy,
who, instead of being concerned, to improve it as it passes, and
taking care that it pass not without making it their own,
act as if it were rather their concern to contrive ways how
to waste and consume it; as though time, instead of being
precious, were rather a mere incumbrance to them. Their
hands refuse to labour, and rather than put themselves
to it, they will let their families sutTer, and will suffer
themselves: Prov. xix. 15. "An idle soul shall suffer
hunger." Prov. xxii. 21. "Drowsiness shall clothe a man
with rags."
Some spend much of their time at the tavern, over their
cups, and in wandering about from house to house, wasting
away their hours in idle and unprofitable talk which wil!
turn to no good account: Prov. xiv. 23. "In all labour
there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendelh only to poverty.'^
The direction of the apostle, in Eph. iv. 28, is, that wc
should " labour, working with our hands the thing that is good,
that we may have to give to him that needeth." But indolent
men, instead of gaining any thing to give to him that needeth, do
but waste what they. have already: Prov. xviii. 9. "He that
is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster."
2. They are reproved by this doctrine who spend their
time in wickedness, who do not merely spend their time in
doing nothing to any good purpose, but spend it to ill purposes.
Such do not only lose their time, but they do worse; with it
they hurt both themselves and others. — Time is precious, as wc
have heard, because eternity depends upon it. By the improve-
ment of time, we have opportunity of escaping eternal misery,
and obtaining eternal blessedness. But those who spend their
time in wicked works, not only neglect to improve their time
to obtain eternal happiness, or to escape damnation, but they
spend it to a quite contrary purpose, viz. to increase their eter-
nal misery, or to render their damnation the more heavy and
intolerable.
Some spend much time in revelling, and in unclean talk
and practices, in vicious company-keeping, in corrupting and
ensnaring the minds of others, setting bad examples, and lead-
ing others into sin, undoing not only their own souls, but the
souls of others. Some spend much of their precious time in
detraction and backbitinu: ; in talking against others ; in con-
tention, not only quarrelling themselves, but fomenting and
stirring up strife and contention. It would have been well for
192 PHAGTICAL SERMONS.
some men, and well for their neighbours, if they had never done
any thing at all ; for then they would have done neither good
nor hurt. But now they have done a great deal more hurt than
they have done or ever will do good. There are some persona
whom it would have been better for the towns where they live,
to have been at the charge of maintaining them in doing no-
thing, if that would have kept them in a state of inactivity.
Those who have spent much of their time in wickedness,
if ever they shall reform, and enter upon a different mode of
living, will find, not only that they have wasted the past, but that
they have made work for their remaining time, to undo what
they have done. How will many men, when they shall have
done with time, and shall look back upon their past lives, wish
that they had had no time! The time which they spend on
earth will be worse to them than if they had spent so much time
in bell; for an eternity of more dreadful misery in hell will be
the fruit of their time on earth, as they employ it.
3. Those are reproved by this doctrine, who spend their
time only in worldly pursuits, neglecting their souls. Such
men lose their time, let them be ever so diligent in their worldly
business ; and though they may be careful not to let any of it
pass so, but that it shall, some way or other, turn to their
worldly profit. They that improve time only for their benefit
in time, lose it ; because time was not given for itself, but for
that everlasting duration which succeeds it. — They, therefore,
whose time is taking up in caring and labouring for the world
only, in inquiring what they shall eat, and what they shall drink
and wherewithal they shall be clothed ; in contriving to lay up
for themselves treasures upon earth, how to enrich themselves,
how to make themselves great in the world, or how to live in
comfortable and pleasant circumstances, while here : who busy
their minds and employ their strength in these things only, and
the stream of whose affections is directed towards these things ;
they lose their precious time.
Let such therefore, as have been guilty of thus spending
their time, consider it. You have spent a great part of your
time, and a great part of your strength, in getting a little of
the world ; and how little good doth it afford you, now you
have gotten it ! What happiness or satisf^iction can you reap
from it? will it give you peace of conscience, or any rational
quietness or comfort? What is your poor, needy perishing
soul the better for it ? and what better prospects doth it afford
you of your approrching eternity ? and what will all that you
have acquired avail you when time shall be no longer.
-gR- XIV. .in ExJtortation to improve Tinif. 4D3
SECT. IV.
An Exhortation to improve Time*
Consider what hath been said of the preciousness of time,
how nnuch de;iends upon it, how short and uncertain it is, liow
irrecoverable will it be when i^one. If you have a ri^ht con-
ception of these thnigs, you will be more choice of your time
than of the most fine gold. Every ho ir and moment will seem
precious to you. — But besides those considerations which have
been already set before you, cot>sider also the following.
1 . That you are accountable to God for your time. Time
is a talent given us by God; he hath set us our day; and it
is not for nothing, our day was appointed for some work ; there-
fore he will, at the day's end, call us to an accoimt. We must
give account to him of the improvement of all our time. We
are God's servants ; as a servant is accountable to his master,
how he spends his time when he is sent forth to work, so are
we accountable to God. If men would arii^ht consider this,
and keep it in mind, would they not improve their time other-
wise than they do ? Would you not behave otherwise than you
do, if you considered with yourselves every morning that you
must give an account to God, how you shall have spent that
day ? and if you considered with yourselves, at the begin-
ning of every evening, that you must give an account to God,
how you shall have spent that evening ? Christ hath told us,
that " for every idle word which men speak, they shall give
account in the day of judgment," Matt. xii. 3Q. How well,
therefore, may we conclude, that we must give an account of all
our idle mis-spent time.
2. Consider how much time you have lost already. For
your having lost so much, you have the greater need of
diligently improving what yet remains. You ought to mourn
and lament over your lost time; but that is not all, )ou must
apply yourselves the more diligently to improve the remaining
part, that you may redeem lost time. — You who are consi-
derably advanced in life, and have hitherto spent }our time
in vanities atid worldly cares, and have lived in a great mea-
sure negligent of the interests of your souls, ma} well be ter-
rified and amazed, when you think how much time you have
lost and wasted away. — In that you have lost so much time, you
have the more need of diligence, on three accounts.
(1.) As your opportunity is so much the shorter. — Your
time at its whole length is short. But set aside all that you
have already lost, and then how much shorter is it ! As to
that part of your time which you have already lost, it is not
494 PRACTICAL bEUMOXS.
to be reckoned into your opportunity ; for that will never be
any more ; and it is no better, but worse to you, than if it never
had been.
(2.) You have the same work to do that you had at first,
and that under greater difficulties. Hitherto you have done
nothing at all of your work, all remains to be done, and that
with vastly greater difficulties and opposition in your way than
would have been if you had set about it seasonably. So that
the time in which to do your work is not only grown shorter,
but your v/ork is grown greater. You not only have the same
work to do, but \ou have more work ; for while you have lost
your time, you have not only shorened it, but you have been
making work for yourselves. How well may this consideration
awaken you to a thorough care, not lo let things run on in this
manner any longer, and rouse you up immediately to apply
yourselves to your work with all your might ?
(3.) That is the best of your time which you have lost.
The first of a man's time, after he comes to the exercise of his
reason, and to be capable of performing his work, is the best.
You have lived in sin till past your youth, have lost the best
part. So that here are all these things to be considered together,
viz. that your time in the whole is but short, there is none to
spare ; a great part of that is gone, so that it is become much
shorter; that which is gone is the best ; yet all your work re-
mains : and not only so, but with greater difficulties than ever
before attended it ; and the shorter your time is, the more work
jou have to do.
What will make you sensible of the necessity of a diligent
improvement of remaining time, if these things will not ? Some-
•* ^ times such considerations as these have another effect, viz. to
'i^ '• discourage persons, and to make them think, that seeing thej
have lost so much time, it is not worth their while to attempt
*^ to do any thing now. The devil makes fools of them ; for when
they are young, he tells them, there is time enough hereafter,
there is no need of being in haste, it will be better seeking sal-
vation hereafter, and then they believe him. Afterwards when
their youth is past, he tells them, that now they have lost so
much, and the best of their time, that it is not worth their while
to attempt to do any thing ; and now they believe him too.
So thril with them no time is good. The season of youth is not
a tiood time; for that is most fit for pleasure and mirth, and
there will be enough afterwards; and what comes afterwards is
not a good tin^e. because the best of it is gone. Thus are men
infatuated and ruitied.
But what madness is it for persons to give way to discou-
ragement, so as to neglect their work, because their time is
short ! What need have they rather to awake out of sleep,
thoroughly to rouse up themselves, and to be in good earnesti
SER. XIV. An Exhortation to improve Time. 495
lliat if possible they may yet obtain eternal life ! Peradvendire,
God may yet give them repentance to the acknowiedj^ment of
the truth, that they may be saved. Though it be late in the
day, yet God calls npon you to rouse, and to aj)()ly your-elves
to your work; a;>d will you not hearken to /«'.? counsel in this
great affair, rather than to the counsel of vour mortal enemy?
3. Consider how time is sometimes valued by those who
are come near to the end of it. What a sense of its precious-
ness have poor sinners sometimes, when they are on their
death-beds! Such have cried out,,0, a thousand worlds for
an inch of time f Then time appears to tht m indeed precious.
An inch of time could do them no more good than before, when
they were in health, supposing a like disposition to improve
it, nor indeed so much: for a man's time upon a death-bed is
attended with far greater disadvantage for such an improve-
ment as will be for the good of his soul, than when he is in
health. But the near approach of death makes men sensible
of the inestimable worth of time. Perhaps, when they were
in health, they were as insensible of its value as yon are, and
were as negligent of it. But how are their thoughts altered
now! It is not because they are deceived, that they think
time to be of such value, but because their eyes are opened ;
and it is because you are deceived and blind, that you do not
think as they do.
4. Consider what a value we may conclude is set upon
lime by those who are past the end of it. What thoughts
do you think they have of its preciousness, who have lost all
their opportunity for obtaining eternal life, and are gone to
hell? Though they were very lavish of their time while they
lived, and set no great value upon it, yet how have they
changed their judgments ! How would they value the oppor-
tunity which you have, if they might but have it gratited to
them? What would they not give for one of your days,
under the means of grace! — So will you, first or last, be con-
vinced. But if you be not convmced except in the manner
in which they are, it will be too late.
There are two ways of making men sensible of the pre-
ciousness of time. One is, by showing them the reason why
it must be precious, by telling them how much depends on it,
how short it is, how uncertain, &c. The other is experience,
wherein men are convinced how much depends on the improve-
ment of time. The latter is the most eifectual way ; for that
always convinces, if nothing else doth. — But if persons be not
convinced by the former means, the latter will do them no good.
If the former be ineffectual, the latter, though it be certain,
yet is always too late. Experience never fails to of)eu the eyes
of men, though they were never opened before. But if they
49G PRACTICAL SERMOIMS.
be first opened by that, it is no way to their benefit. Let all
therefore be persuaded to improve their time to their utmost^
SECT. V.
Advice respecting the improvement of Time.
1 shall conclude with advising to three things in parti-
cular : —
1. Improve the present time without any delay. If you
delay and put off its improvement, still more time will be lost;
and it will be an evidence that you are not sensible of its pre-
ciousness. Talk not of more convenient seasons hereafter ; but
imi^rove your time while you have it, after the example of the
Ptsalmisit, Psalm cxix. 60. "• I made haste, and delayed not to
keep thy commandments."
2. Be especially careful to improve those parts of time
which are most precious. Though all time is very precious,
yet some parts are more precious than others •, as particularly^
holy time is more precious than common time. Such time is
of great advantage for our everlasting welfare; therefore, above
all, improve your Sabbaths, and especially the time of public
worship, which is the most precious part. Lose it not either in
sleep, or in carelessness, inattention, and wandering imagina-
tions. How sottish are they who waste away not only their
common, but holy time, yea, the very season of attendance on
the holy ordinances of God ! — The time of youth is precious,
on many accounts. Therefore, if you be in the enjoyment of
this time, take heed that you improve it. Let not the precious
days and years of youth slip away without improvement. A
time of the strivings of God's spirit is more precious than other
time. Then God is near ; and we are directed, in Isa. Iv. 6,
" To seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him
while he is near." Such especially is an accepted time, and a
day of salvation : 2 Cor. vi. 2. " I have heard thee in a time
accepted, and in a? day of salvation have I succoured thee , be-
hold, now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of sal-
vation."
3. Improve well your time of leisure from worldly business.
Many persons have a great deal of such time, and all have
some. If men be but disposed to it, such time may be im-
proved to great advantage. When we are most free from cares
for the body and business of an outward nature, a happy op-
Dortunity for the soul is atTorded. Therefore spend not such op-
portunities unprofitably, nor in such a sanner (hat you will not
be able to give a good account thereof to God. Waste them
not away wholly iu unprofitable visits, or useless diversions or
SKR. XIV. Advice, respecting the i/npruventent of Time. 497
amusements. Diversion should be used only in subserviency to
business. So muchj and no more should be used, as doth most
fit the mind and body for the work of our general and particular
callings.
You have need to improve every talent, advantage, and
opportunity, to your utmost, while time lasts; for it will soon
be said concerning you, according to the oatii of the angel, in
Rev. X. 5, 6, " And the angel which I saw, stood upon the sea
and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by
him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and the
things that therein are, and the earth and the things that there-
in are, and the sea and the things Avhich are therein, That
there should he time no longer.''''
Vol. VI.
SERMON XV.
PROCRASTINATION ; OR THE SIN AND FOLLY OF DEPENP-
ING ON FUTURE TIME.
Prov. xxvii. 1 .
Boast not thyself of to-morrozo ; for thou knotoest not xohat a
day may bring forth*
The design of the wise man, in this book of Proverbs is.
to give us the precepts of true wisdom, or to teach us how to
conduct ourselves wisely in the course of our lives. Wisdom
very much consists in making a wise improvement of time,
and of the opportunities we enjoy. This is often in scripture
spoken of as a great part of true wisdom ; as Deut. xxxii. 29.
" O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they
would consider their latter end!" And Psalm xc. 12. 'So.
teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts
unto wisdom." So the wisdom of the wise virgins is repre-
sented as consisting much in this, that they improved the pro-
per season to buy oil.
Therefore the wise man, in these books of Proverbs and
Ecclesiastes, agreeably to his design, insists on this part of
wisdom. He tells us the advantage of seeking Christ early ;
Prov. viii. 17. And advises us to do zohat our hand findeth to
do, with our might ; Eccles. ix. 10. He advises young people
to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, while
the evil days come not, in which they shall say they have no
pleasure; Eccles. xii. 1. So here he advises us to a wise
improvement of the present season. — In the words are two
things to be particularly observed.
1 . The precept, not to boast of to-morrozo ; i. e. not to
speak or act as though it were our own. It is absurd for men
SER. XV." Needful Precautiom. ' 499
to boast of that which is not theirs. The wise man would not
have us behave ourselves as though any time were ours, but
the present. He that boasts of to-morrow, acts as though he had
to-morrow in his possession, or had something whereby he
might depend on it, and call it his own.
2. The reason given for this precept ; for thou knozoest not
rohat a day may bring forth. It is a good reason why we
should not behave ourselves as though the morrow were our
own, that indeed it is not ; we are not sure of it ; we have no
hold of future time ; we know not whether we shall see the
morrow : or if we do know that we shall see it, we know not
what we shall see on it. — Hence, we ought to behave ourselves
every day, as though we had no dependence on any other.
SECT. I.
Needful Precautions.
To prevent a misunderstanding of the doctrine, I observe,
that it is not meant, that we should in every respect behave
as though we knew that we should not live another day. Not
depending on another day, is a different thing from concluding,
that we shall not live another day. We may have reason for
the one, and not for the other. We have good reason not to
depend on another day, but we have no reason to conclude,
that we shall not live another day.
In some respects we ought to carry ourselves as though we
knew we should not live another day, and should improve every
day as if it were the last. Particularly, we should live every
day as conscientiously and as holily as if we knew it were the
last. We should be as careful every day to avoid all sin, as if
we knew that that night our souls should be required of us.
We should be as careful to do every duty which God requires
of us, and take as much care that we have a good account to
give to our Judge, of our improvement of that day, as if we con-
cluded that we must be called to give an account before another
day.
But in many other respects, we are not obliged to behave
ourselves as though we concluded that we should not live to
another day. If we had reason to conclude that we should not
live another day, some things would not be our duty which now
are our duty. As for instance, in such a case it would not be
the duty of any person to make provision for his temporal sub-
sistence during another day : to neglect which as things now
are, would be very imprudent and foolish, as the consequences
would show, if every man were to act in this manner. If so,
it would never be mane's duty to plough or sow the field, or
■300 PRACTICAr, SERMONS.
to lay up for winter ; but these things are man's duty 5 as Pro\»
vi. G — 8. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard : consider her ways, and
])C wise : which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth
lier meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest."
And chap. x. 5, &c. " He that gatherctli in the summer is
a wise son ; but he that sleepeth in the harvest, is a son that
causeth shame." And many other places might be mentioned.
So.on the other hand, if we were certain that we should
not live another day, some things would be our duty to-day,
which now are not so. As for instance, it would be proper
for us to spend our time in giving our dying counsels, and in
setting cur houses in order. If it were revealed to us, that
we should die before to-morrow morning, we ought to look
upon it as a call of God to us, to spend the short remainder of
our lives in those things which immediately concern our
departure, more than otherwise it would be our duty to do. —
Therefore the words which forbid us to boast of to-morrow,
cannot be extended so far as to signify, that we ought in all
respects to live, as if we knew we should not see another day.
Yet they undoubtedly mean, that we ought not to behave
ourselves in any respect, as though we depended on another
dav.
SECT. II.
The Precept cxplahud.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow. In this precept two things
bccm to be forbidden.
1. Boasting ourselves of what shall be on the morrow, or
behaving ourselves as though we depended on particular
things to come to pass in this world, in some future time.
As when men behave themselves as though they depended
on being rich, or promoted to honour hereafter; or as though
they were sure of accomplishing any particular design another
day. So did the rich man in the gospel, when he did not
only promise himself, that he should live many years, but
promised himself also, that he should be rich many years,
Hence he said to his soul, that "he had much goods laid up for
many years."
And if men act as though they depended upon it, that
they should another day accomplish such and such things
for their souls, then may they be said to boast themselves of
to-morrow, and not to behave themselves as though they de-
pended on no other day. As when they behave themselves,
as though they depended upon it, that they should at another
dav have such and such advantages for the good of their souls ;
SER. XV. The Precept explained. 501
that they should at another day have the strivings of God's
spirit ; that they should at another day find themselves dis-
posed to be thorough in seeking their salvation ; that they
should at another day have a more convenient season ; and
that God at another day would stand read)^ to hear their
prayers, and show them mercy.
Or if they act as though they depended upon it that they
should have considerable opportunity on a death-bed to seek
mercy ; or whatever they promise themselves should come to
pass respecting them in this world, if they act as depending
on it, they boast themselves of to-morrow-
2. Another thing implied, is our boasting of future time
itself, or acting as though we depended on it, that we should
have our lives continued to us another day. Not only is
the command of God delivered in the text transgressed by
those who behave themselves as depending upon it, that they
shall see and obtain such and such things to-morrow ; but by
those who act as depending upon it, that they shall remain in
being in this world to-morrow.
Both these ways of boasting of to-morrow are reproved
by the apostle James, chap. iv. 13. "Go to now, ye that say,
To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue
there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain." By promising
themselves that they shall do such and such things, and that
they shall get gain, they boast themselves of what shall come
to pass in such a time. The apostle in the next verse teaches
them, that they ought not to do this, no nor so much as depend
upon seeing another day, or on having their lives continued,
ver. 14. " Whereas ye know not what t^hall be on the morrow :
For what is your life ? It is even a vapour that appeareth
for a little time, and then vanisheth away." And in ver. 15,
he teaches us that both are uncertain and dependent on the
will of God, viz. Whether we shall live another day, and if
we do, whether such and such things shall come to pass.
" For that you ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live,
and do this or that." Therefore he adds in ver. 16, "But
now you rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil."
SECT. III.
When men act as though they depend on another day,
1. They will do so, if they set their hearts on the en-
joyments of this life. I mean not, if they have any manner
of affection to them. We may have some affection to the
enjoyments of this world : otherwise they would cease to be
enjoyments. If we might have no degree of rejoicing in them.
502 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
we could not be thankful for thenn. Persons may in a degree
take delight in earthly things, and other earthly enjoynments.
It is agreeable lo the wise man's advice that we should do so,
Eccies. V. 18. "It is good and comely for one to eat and to
drink, and to enjoy the good of all this labour that he taketh
under the sun." — But by setting our hearts on these things,
by placing our happiness on them, and letting out the current
of our affections after them — by turning and fixing our incli-
nations so much upon them, that we cannot well enjoy our-
selves without them, so that very much of the strength of the
faculties of our minds is employed and taken up about these
things — we show that we have our dependence on another
day.
The man who doth thus, acts as though he depended on
another day, jea many other days, in the world ; for it is
most evident, that if the enjoyments of this world be of such
a nature that they are not to be depended on for one day
more, they are not worth the setting of our hearts upon them,
or the placing of our happiness in them. We may rejoice
in the enjoyments of the world, but not in such a manner as
to place the rest of our souls in them. As the apostle saith,
we should rejoice in them as though we rejoiced not, 1 Cor.
vii. 30. So that if this joy should fail, our stock may hold
good : and in this ca?e we must behave ourselves only as if
we had lost a small stream of joy, but still had the fountain
in full possession. We should conduct ourselves as those
who have not the foundation of their joy shaken, though some
appurtenances have failed. Our happiness as to the body of
it, if I may so speak, should yet stand as on an immovable
foundation.
They who are very much pleased and elated with the
enjoyments of the world, certainly behave themselves as though
they had much dependence on their continuance for more
than one or two days more. — They who addict themselves to
vain mirth, tind lead a jovial life, show that they set their
hearts on the enjoyments of the world, and act as those who
depend on more days than the present. For if they were
sen*ibie that they could not depend on any future time, but
that death would put an eternal end to all their carnal mirth
before to-morrow, they would have no heart to spend the
present day in such a manner as they now do. It would
immediately produce in them a disposition far from levity and
vanity.
And when persons are very much sunk with the loss of
any temporal enjoyments, or with any temporal disappoint-
ments, it shows that they set iheir hearts upon them, and be-
have as though they boasted of to-morrow, and depended on
their long continuance in life. If they had no such depen-
?ER. XV. When the Precept is violated. 503
dence, they would not be frustrated, or would not be over-
whelmed by their frustration. If they be very much sunk,
and the comfort of their lives be destroyed by it, it shows that
those temporal enjoyments were too much the foundation on
which their comfort stood. That which makes a building
totter, and threatens its destruction, is not the taking away of
some of the exterior parts of the superstructure, but the re-
moval of some considerable part of the foundation on which the
house stands.
2. If men are proud of their worldly circumstances, it
shows that they have a dependence on to-morrow ; for no
man would think it worth his while to vaunt himself in that
which is to be depended on only for a day. Though a man
have a great estate to-day, he will not be puffed up with
it, unless he depend upon having it to-morrow. A man who
hath no dependence, but that he may to-morrow be in the
grave, where the small and great are upon a level. Job iii. 19,
will not be much lifted up with his advancement to a post of
honour.
That person will not be proud of his rich and fine clothes,
who is sensible that he may be stripped by death to-morrow,
and sent out of the world, as he came naked into it. He will
not to-day be very proud of his personal beauty, who hath no
dependence on escaping to-morrow that stroke of death which
will mar all his beauty, and make that face which he now
thinks so comely, appear ghastly and horrid ; when instead
of a ruddy and florid countenance, there will be the blood
settled, cold and congealed, the flesh stiff and clayed, the
teeth set, the eyes fixed and sunk into the head. Nor will he
to-day very much affect to beautify and adorn with gaudy
and flaunting apparel, that body concerning which he is sen-
sible that it may be wrapped in a winding-sheet to- morrow, to
be carried to' the grave, there to rot, and be covered and filled
with worms.
3. When men envy others their worldly enjoyments, their
wealth, their worldly ease, or their titles and high places. —
their sensual pleasures, or any of their worldly circumstances
— it shows, that they set their hearts on the things of the
world ; and that they are not sensible that these things are
not to be depended upon for another day. If they were, they
would not think them worth their envy. They would appear
so worthless in their eyes, that they would not care who had
them, nor who went without them. — So when they con-
tend about worldly possessions and enjoyments, (as almost
all the contentions that arc in the world are about these things,)
it shows that they have dependence on to-morrow ; otherwise
they would not think the enjoyments of the world worth
contending about. The^^ would be very much of the temper
504 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
recommended by Jesus Christ, Matt. v. 40. " He that will
sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also."
4. Men behave themselves as if they depended on another
day, when they rest at ease to-day, in a condition out of which
they must be delivered before they die. When a man's mind
is at rest, there is something that he rests in : it must have
some foundation, either real or imaginary. But if the man be
in a condition from which he is sensible he must some time or
other be delivered, or be undone, it is impossible that he
should rest in the thoughts of remaining in his condition always,
and never being delivered from it : for no man is willing to be
ruined ; no man can rest in that which he conceives to be con-
nected with his own misery and undoing. — Therefore, if
he rests in such a condition for the present, it must be on
a supposition, that he shall be delivered from it. If he rest in
it to day, it must be because he depends on being delivered
another day, and therefore depends on seeing another day.
We in this land generally profess, that as we are by na-
ture sinful, we are exposed to eternal death, and that there-
fore there is a necessity that we get out of a natural condition
some time before we die. And those among us who are sen-
sible that they have never passed through any such change as
in scripture is called a being born again, though they be not
sufficiently convinced that there is any such place as hell, yet
have a kind belief of it; at least they do not conclude, that
there is no such place, and therefore cannot but be sensible
that it would be dreadful to die unconverted. Therefore, if
they be in a considerable degree of ease and quietness in their
condition, it must be because they have a dependence on being
delivered out of such a condition some time before they die.
Jn as much as they are easy, remaining in such a condition
to-day, without any prospect of present deliverance, it shows
plainly that they depend on another day. If they did not, they
could have no quietness in their spirits ; because, if there be
no grounds of dependence on any further opportunity, then
what they are exposed to, by missing the opportunity which
they have to-day, is infinitely dreadful. — Persons who are
secure in their sins, under the light of the gospel, unless they be
deceived with a false hope, are generally so, because they
boast themselves of to-morrow. They depend on future op-
portunity ; they flatter themselves with hopes of living long
in the world ; they depend on what shall come to pass here-
after; they depend on the fulfilment of their good intentions as
to what they will do at a more convenient season.
5. Men behave themselves as those who depend on ano-
ther day, when they neglect any thing to-day which must be
done before they die. If there be any thing which is absolutely
SER. XV. JVhen the Precept is violated, d05
necessary to be done some time before death, and the neces-
sity of it be sufficiently declared and shown to the person for
whom it is thus necessary; if he neglect setting about it imme-
diately, sincerely, and with all his might, certainly it carries
this face with it, that the man depends upon its being done
hereafter, and consequently that he shall have opportunity to
do it. — Because, as to those things which are absolutely neces-
sary to be done, there is need, not only of a possibility of a
future opportunity ; but of something which is to be depended on,
some good ground to conclude that we shall have future oppor-
tunity ; therefore, whoever lives under the gospel, and does
not this day thoroughly reform his life, by casting away
every abomination, and denying every lust — and doth not ap-
ply himself to the practice of the whole of his duty towards
God and man, and begin to make religion his main business —
he acts as one who depends on another day ; because he is
abundantly taught that these things must be done before he
dies.
Those who have been seeking salvation for a great while,
in a dull, insincere, and slightly manner, and (ind no good
effect of it, have abundant reason to conclude, that some time
before they die, they must not only seek, but strive to enter in
at the strait gate, and must be violent for the kingdom of
heaven : and therefore, if they do not begin thus to-day, they
act as those who depend on another day. So those who have
hitherto lived in the neglect of some particular known duty,
whether it be secret prayer, or paying some old debt, which
they have long owed to their neighbour — or the duty of con-
fessing some fault to a brother who hath aught against them,
or of making restitution for some injury — they act as those who
depend on another day.
6. Men behave themselves as though they depended on
another day, if they do that to-day which some time or other
must be undone. There are many things done by men which
must be undone by them. They must go back again from
the way which they have gone, or they are ruined to all eter-
nity. Therefore, in doing these things, they act as those who
depend on future opportunity to undo them : As when a man
cheats or defrauds his neighbour in any thing, he acts as one
that boasts of to-morrow : for he must undo what he doth be-
fore he dies ; he must some time or other make restitution, or
divine justice, which oversees all things, and governs the whole
world, and will see to it that right be done, will not let go its
hold of him.
So when men hearken to temptation, and yield to the
solicitations of their lusts to commit any sin, they act as those
who depend on another day. They do what must be undone.
What they then do must be undone bv heartv and thorough
^^or,. Vf. 64
dOa PRACTICAL SKRMONS.
repentance or they are ruined and lost for ever. So if persons
have been seeking salvation for a time, and afterwards are
guilty of backsliding, and turn back after their hands have
been put to the plough, they act as those who depend on
another day. For what they now do, they must undo some
time or other ; they must go back again from their backsliding,
and have all their work to do over again. And these things
must be undone in this world, while men live ; for there will
be no undoing of them afterwards ; they may be suffered for,
but never can be undone.
SECT. IV.
IVht/ cce ought not to boast of To-morroio,
1 come now to show, why we ought not thus to boast
ourselves of to-morrow ; but on the contrary, to behave our-
selves every day as though we had no dependence on another.
And there is this plain and sufficient reason for it, viz.
That we have no grounds of dependence on another day. We
have neither any foundation to depend upon seeing any
particular things come to pass another day, which we may
hope or wish for, nor upon enjoying another day in this
world. We have nothing for a foundation of dependence that
we shall not be in eternity before to-morrow, as both reason
and experience show. We have no promise of God that we
shall ever see another day. We are in God's hands ; our lives
are in his hands ; he hath set our bounds ; the number of our
months and days are with him ; nor hath he told them to us.
We see that the life of man at longest is very short, and nothing
is more uncertain ; and it is a thing universal among man-
kind, that they know not the day of their death. We see
that great natural abilities, and sharpness of wit, and clearness
of discernment, do not help to any discovery in this matter.
Wise men are as uncertain of the term of their lives as
others.
There are so many ways and means whereby the lives of
men come to an end, that no circumstances in which a man
can be are any security to him from death. That it is but a
very little while till to-morrow, is no good ground of depen-
dence that we shall live till then. We see that deaths as
sudden as our dying before to-morrow morning, are common
in the world. We very often sec or hear of sudden deaths-
How many suddenly in a few minutes, pass from a state of
health to a state of death, in the day-time, by several kinds of
disease, which give no warning of their approach, and by
many unforeseen accidents ! How many go to sleep., in health,
SER. XV. Why we ought not to boast of l^o-morrozc. o07
and are found dead in their beds in the morning! So that our
present health is no good ground of dependence that we shall
live to see another day. — That persons are now in youth, is no
good ground of dependence upon another day: for sudden
unexpected deaths are common even among those who are in
the bloom of youth. Nor is it any ground of dependence in
this case, that a man is of a more than ordinary healthy and
strong constitution. It is found by experience, that such are
liable to sudden death as well as others : Job xxi. 23. " One
dieth in his full strength. His breasts are fall of milk, and
his bones are moistened with marrow."
That persons have already lived to see a great many days,
and that after they had been often in times past told that they
were uncertain of any future time ; or that persons have a
strong desire to live longer: or that they are now very unpre-
pared for death, both on temporal and spiritual accounts ; is
no ground of dependence on the future. Death tarries for no
man, but comes when and to whom he is sent, and strikes the
deadly blow, whether the man be prepared or not. That men
have been very useful in their day, and that it is of great
importance to their families and neighbours that they should
live longer, is no ground of dependence. The most useful
men are often cut down by death, in the midst of their useful-
ness. The same may be said, though we cannot see which
way death should come at us before to-morrow. To how
many accidents, to how many diseases are we liable which
may prove fatal before to-morrow, which yet it is impossible
for us to foresee ! So if we be very careful of our lives, and
our health, not to expose ourselves to any dangers, still this
is no ground of dependence as to any future time. Death
comes in many ways which were not thought of. Men
foresee not the means of their death, an}^ more than the fish
securely swimming in the water foresee the net, or the bird
that securely feeds upon the bait sees the snare. It is as the
wise man observes, in Eccles. ix. 12. " For man also knoweth
not his time : as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and
as the birds that are caught in the snare ; so are the sons of
men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon
them.''
.>Of; VRA( TICAr. SERMOXS.
.SECT. y.
Serious Inquiries,
I shall improve this doctrine, by putting you upon examin-
ing yourselves, whether you do not boast yourselves of to-mor-
row, or whether you do not live in such a manner as you
would not, were it not that you depend on future time and fu-
ture opportunity in the world. Would not your behaviour be
very different from what it now is, if you every day lived and
acted without any dependence on seeing one day more? You
cannot but acknowledge it to be most reasonable, that you
should live and act thus. You cannot but own, that you have
no good ground of dependence on another day ; and therefore
that you cannot act wisely any otherwise than in acting as one
who hath no dependence on any such thing. Therefore in-
quire whether you act wisely and reasonably in this respect.
1. Do you not set your hearts much more on this world, than
you would, if you had no dependence on the morrow ? Is not
the language of the rich man in the gospel, the secret lan-
guage of your hearts ? " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up
for many 3'ears,"&c. Is not this the language of your hearts, with
respect to what you have gotten already; which makes you
place your happiness so much in it? And with respect to what
of the world you are seeking and pursuing, is it not with a de-
pendence on enjoying it for a great while, when you shall have
obtained it? Are not your lands and other possessions which
you have gotten, or are about to get, in your own imagina-
tion, yours for a great while ? Would your mind be so tilled
with thoughts and cares about these things, so much to the ex-
clusion of another world ? Would you lay yourselves under so
great disadvantages for your soul's good, by involving yourselves
in worldly cares ; if you had no dependence on having any
thing to do with these things for more than the present day ?
If you did not depend on considerable more time in the worlds
would your inquiry be so much, What shall we eat, and
what shall we drink, and wherewithal shall we be clothed ?
and so little, How shall we make our calling and election sure ;
how shall we be assured that we are upon a good foundation
for another world, and that we are in such a state, that death
cannot hurt us ? How shall we be sure that we are ready to
appear before the judgment-seat of a heart searching God ?
Would there be so much of your time spent in laying up trea-
sure on earth — and so little in laying up treasure in heaven
that you might have store against the day of death — were it not
that you put death at a distance? Would you be so much
SEB. XV. Serious Inquiries. 509
jaised at your temporal prosperity, and so much sunk when
you meet with crosses and disappointments in your worldly af-
fairs, if you did not think that continuance in the world is to
be depended on for more days than the present ^ Let those
who very much affect to adorn their bodies in gaudy apparel,
inquire whether <hey would think it worth their while to spend
so much time to make themselves fine, and to set themselves
forth as gayer than others, if they really had no dependence
that their bodies would be preserved one day longer from being
clasped in the cold arms of death?
2. Inquire whether you would not much less meddle with
the concerns of others, and be much more employed with your
own hearts, if each day you had no dependence on living ano-
ther day. If you were sensible that you had no other day to
depend upon than this, you would be sensible that you had
great affairs of your own to attend to. You would find a great
deal of business at home between God and your own soul ; and
considering that you cannot depend on another day, it would
seem to you that you have but a short time in which to do it,
and that therefore you have need to be much engaged. You
would say as Christ did, I must work while the day lasts, for the
night Cometh, wherein no man can work. You would find so
much to be done, and so much difficulty in doing it, that you
would have little leisure, and little heart to intermeddle with
the business of others. Your business would be confined to a
much narrower compass. You would have so much to do at
home in your closets, and with your own hearts, that you
would find no occasion to go abroad for intermeddling business
to fill up your time.
But the truth is, men conceive of a great deal of time
w-hich they have to be filled up, and hence they want business :
they depend on to-morrow, and the day following, and next
month, and next year, yea many years to come. When thej
are young they depend on living to be middle-aged, and when
middle-aged they depend on old age, and always put far away
the day of death. Let them be young or old, there always
seems to them to be a great vacancy between them and death ;
hence they wander to and fro for business to fill up that vacan-
cy.— Whereas if they were sensible of the uncertainty of life
they would, in the first place, make sure of their own business;
the business of their own precious immortal souls would be
done, before they would attend much to the business of other
people. They would have no desire or disposition to concern
themselves with every private quarrel which breaks out in the
neighbourhood. They would not think it much concerned
them to inquire into the matter, and to pass their censure on
the affair. They would find something else to do, than to set
by the hour together, discussing and censuring the conduct of
.)1U PRACTICAL SERMONS.
such and such persons, gathering up or rehearsing the stories
which are carried about to the disadvantage of this and that
person.
We seldom, if ever, see men who are upon sick-beds, and
look upon themselves very dangerously sick, disposed to
spend their time in this manner ; and the reason is, that they
look upon it doubtful, whether they shall live long. They do
not so much as others, depend on much time to spare ;
hence their minds are taken up more about their own souls'
concerns, than about the concerns of others. So it would
be with persons in health, if their health did not make them
depend on a great deal of time in the world.
3. If you each day depend on no other but the present,
would you not engage and interest yourselves much less in
party designs and schemes, than you are now wont to do ?
Among a people divided into two parties, as this town halh been
for a long time, there is commonly much done by the partizans
in forming schemes of opposition to one another. There
is always a strife, who shall get their wills and carry their
point. This often engages them, if not in open quarrels, in
secret intrigues. That there is so much done in these things,
is a certain evidence that they boast themselves of to-morrow,
and put death at a distance.
Men would certainly find themselves very much indisposed
to such things, if they were so sensible of the uncertainty
of life, as to depend on no other day than the present. It
is therefore very proper, that you should examine yourselves
in this particular, at this time. If you really depended on
no other day than the present, would your hearts be so much
engaged in strife between two parties, as they often are ?
Would your spirits be so often raised and ruffled. Would
jou go about with so much prejudice against such and such
men : harbouring so miich of the old leaven, which so often
breaks out in heats of spirit ; and, as an old sore which was
skinned over, but not cured, sets to raging, with a touch, which
would not have hurt sound flesh? Commonly in the manage-
ment of a strife between two parties, there is a great deal
of envy. When any who belong to one of the parties seem to
prosper, the other party will envy them ; it is a grievous
thing to them. So there is also much contempt ; when one of
the parties gets the ascendant a little over the other, they are
ready to make the utmost improvement of it, and to insult the
other party. — And there is commonly in such cases a great
deal of mutual secret reproach. When those of one party get
together, then is the time to inveigh against those of the other
party, and to set forth their injustice and their fraudulent
practices. Then is the time for them to pass their censure on
(hoir words and actions. Then is the time to expose their
SER. XV'. Serious Inquiries, 3 i 1
own surmises and suspicions of v\hat the other party intends,
what it aims at in such and such things, what the purposes
of individuals are, and what they suppose their secret actions
are. — Then is the time for all that are friends in the cause,
and engaged in the same designs, to entertain one another
by ridiculing the words and actions of the other party, and
to make themselves sport of their folly and disappointments;
and much is done at calling one another Raca and fools, or
other names equivalent, if not much more than equivalent.
Then is the time tu lay their heads together to plot and contrive
how they shall manage such an afiair so as to disappoint the
other party, and obtain their own wills.
Brethren, these things ought not so to be among a
Christian people ; especially among a people that has made
the profession which we have made. Nor would they be so if
it were not for your dependence on much future time in
the world. If you were so sensible of your continual liableness
to death, that every day was the last you depended upon?
these things certainly would not be so. For let us but
consider what are the effects of death with respect to such
things. It puts an end to party-quarrels. Many men hold
these quarrels as long as they live. They begin young,
and hold on through many great and sore afflictions and
chastisements of Providence. The old sore remains, when the
supporters of nature bow, and the eyes grow dim, and the
hands tremble with age. But death, when that comes, puts an
end to all their quarrelling in this world. Death silences the
most clamorous, and censorious, and backbiting tongue. When
men are dead, they cease to lay schemes against those of
another party ; death dashes all their schemes, so far as they
have any concern in them. Psalm cxlvi. 4. " His breath
goeth forth, he returneth to his earth ;. in that very day his
thoughts perish.'^
When men are dead, they cease to bite and devour
others ; as it is said to have been of old a proverb among
the Egyptians, " Dead men do not bite." There are many
who will bite and devour as long as they live, but death tames
them. Men could not be quiet or safe by them while alive,
but none will be afraid of them when dead. The bodies of
those that made such a noise and tumult when alive, when
dead, lie as quietly among the graves of their neighbours as
any others. Their enemies, of whom they strove to get their
wills while alive, get their wills of them when they are dead.
Nothing can please their enemies better than to have them
out of their way. It suits them, that those who were so
troublesome to them, are locked up safe in the close grave,
where they will no more stand in their way. — There are
no more effects of their pride, their craftiness, their hatred, and
512 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
envy. Eccles. ix. 6. " Also their love, and their hatred, and
their envy, is now perished."
The time will soon come, when you who have for many years
been at times warmly contending one with another, will be
very peaceable as to this world. Your dead bodies will pro-
bably lie quietly together in the same burying-place. If you
do not leave off contending before death, how natural will it be
for others to have such thoughts as these, when they see your
corpses : What ! is this the man who used to be so busy in
carrying on the designs of his party? Oh, now, he has done:
now he hath no more any part in any of these things ; now it doth
not at all concern him, who get their wills, or what party is up-
permost. We shall hear his voice no more in our tow7i meetings.
He will not sit any more to reproach and laugh at others. He
is gone to appear before his judge, and to receive according to
his conduct in life. — The consideration of such things as these
would certainly have a mighty effect among us, if we did not
put far away the day of death. If all acted every day as not
depending on any other day, we should be a peaceable, quiet
people.
4. Inquire, whether or no you do not allow yourselves in
some things, and endeavour to flatter yourselves that there is
no evil in them, which you would by no means dare to do if
you had not a dependence on living till to-morrow. It is very
common among men, when they are strongly enticed to some
sinful practice, by their worldly interest, or by their carnal ap-
petites, to pretend that they do not think there is any evil in it ;
when indeed they know better. Their pretence is only to serve
a present turn. And if they expected to have their souls re-
quired of them that night, they would by no means dare to per-
sist in the practice. Therefore examine the liberties you take
by this test. What would you think of them, if you now should
have the following news sent you by some messenger from hea-
ven : John, or Thomas, (or whatever your name be,) this night
shall thy soul be required of thee. How would such tidings
strike you ! How would they alter the face of things ! Doubtless
your thoughts would be very quick; you would soon begin to
reflect on yourselves, and to examine your past and present con-
duct. And in what colours would the liberties you now take,
appear to you in the case now supposed ? Would you then
conclude, that there is no evil in them ? Would you not
be less bold to go forward and meet death, for having con-
tinued in such practices? Would you dare to commit such acts
again before you die, which now you pretend are lawful ? Would
not the few hours which you would have to live, be at all the
more uncomfortable to you for having done such things ?
Would you not presently wish that you had let them alone ?
Yea, would they not appear frightful and terrifying to you ?
SER. XV. How io sprnd fcorij Day, 513
If it be thus, it is a sign that the reason why you now allow
yourselves in them, and plead for their lawfulness, is, that you
put death at a distance, and depend on many other days in the
world.
5. Inquire, whether you do not some things on the pre-
sumption, that you shall hereafter repent of them. Is not this
the very thing which causes you to dare to do some things ? Is
it not the very ground on which you venture to gratify your
lusts ? Let young people examine all their secret carriage ;
what they do alone in the dark and in secret corners. God
knoweth, and your own hearts know, though men do not. Put
the question impartially to your own consciences; is not this
the very thing that gives you courage, that God is very merciful,
and that he often of his sovereign mercy gives repentance of
great sins, and even wilful sins, and in consequence of repent-
ance forgives ? And so you hope, that one day or other he
will do so to you- You intend some time hereafter earnestly
to seek ; and you hope you shall be awakened. And if you be
very earnest, as you intend to be, you hope you shall be con-
verted, and then you shall be forgiven, and it will be as well as
if you had never committed such sins.
If this be the case, consider how you boast of to-morrow,
and foolishly depend on future opportunity to repent, as well
as foolishly presume on the mercy of God to give you repent-
ance, at thi same time that you take a course to provoke God
for ever to give you up to a sealed hardness and blindness, and
to a most fearful damnation ; not considering that God will glo-
rify his revenging justice, as well as his mercy; nor remember-
ing the sad example of Esau, " who for a morsel of meat sold
his birth-right ; and afterwards, when he would have inherited
the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repent-
ance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Heb. xii. 16, 17.
6. Inquire, whether you improve this da}' as one who
doth not depend upon ever having opportunity to keep ano-
ther Sabbath, or to hear or read another discourse. It appears
from what hath been already said, that you have no grounds
to depend on any more such opportunities. Now the day is
present, and so you are in the better capacity to determtne
how it is with you. It is but for you to reflect upon yourselves,
to look inward, and see how it is with you at this present time.
And how is it? Are you as strict and as diligent in keeping
this Sabbath, watching your thoughts, keeping your hearts,
striving in duties both public and private, and improving ordi-
nances, as might be expected of one who hath no dependence
on ever enjoying such an opportunity any more ; one who doth
not depend on ever setting foot again within the walls oi God's
house ? Do you attend to this address with that care, and de-
sire, and endeavour to improve it for vour good, as you would.
Vol. VI. 6.5
514 FRACTICAL SERMONS.
if you did not depend upon it, that your bodies wouid not be
in the grave, and your souls fixed in eternity, in their unalter-
able state, before the next Sabbath ?
7. Are you careful to see to it that the grounds of your
hope are good ? A man who hath some hope of being in a
state of acceptance with God, but is not sure, if he had no
dependence on any other day's opportunity of making it sure,
would be very strict in examining himself, and searching the
grounds of his hope, and would not rest in an uncertainty'.
He would be very thorough in informing himself what might
be depended on as good evidence of an interest in Christ,
and what not ; and would be exceedingly strict in searching
his own heart, to see whether there was any thing in him that
comes up to the requisites laid down in the scriptures. — If
what appears hopeful in him were dim and obscure, he would
set himself very earnestly to obtain that which would be more
clear and manifest, and would cry earnestly to God for it, and
would apply himself to a diligent use of means in order to it.
And good reason why ; for he depends on no other opportunity
to make his calling and election sure, than what he hath to-
day. Inquire, therefore, whether you be thus thorough in
examining your hope. And are you thus careful effectually
to see to it, that you are on a sure foundation? If not, then
you behave yourselves as those that depend on to-morrow.
SECT. VI.
Hozo to spend every day.
God hath concealed from us the day of our death,
without doubt, partly for this end, that we might be excited
to be always ready, and might live as those that are always
waiting for the coming of their Lord, agreeably to the counsel
which Christ gives us. Matt. xxiv. 42, 43, 44; xxv. 13; and,
Mark xiii. 32, &;c. That watchman is not faithful, who, being
set to defend a house from thieves, or a city from an enemy
at hand, will at any hour venture to sleep, trusting that the
thief or the enemy will not come. Therefore it is expected
of the watchman, that he behave himself every hour of the
night, as one who doth not depend upon it that the enemy will
tarry until the next hour. Now, therefore, let me, in Christ's
name, renew the call and counsel of Jesus Christ to you, to
watch as those that know not what hour your Lord will come.
Let me call upon you who are hitherto in an unrenewed con-
dition. Depend not upon it, that you will not be in hell
before to-morrow morning. You have no reason for anv such
6EK. Kv. lloio io spend every day- bio
dependence; God hath not promised to keep you I'rom it, or
to withhold his wrath so long.
How can you reasonably be easy or quiet for one day, or
one night, in such a condition, when you know not but your
Lord will come this night ? And if you sliould then be found
as you now are, unregenerate, how unprepared would you
be for his coming, and how fearful would be the consequence !
Be exhorted, therefore, for your own sakes, immediately to
awake from the sleep of sin, out of sleep, and sleep no more.
as not depending on any other day. — Let me exhort you to
have no dependence on any future time; to keep every
Sabbath, and to hear every sermon, as if it were the last.
And when you go into your closet, and address yourself to
your Father who seeth in secret, do it in no dependence on
any future opportunity to perform the same duty. When
you that are young go into company for amusement and
diversion, consider that it may be the last opportunity of the
like nature that ever you may have. In all your dealings
with your neighbours, act as if you were never to make
another bargain. Behave in your families every day, as
though you depended on no other. — Here I shall offer you
two motives.
1. Consider, if you vi^ill hearken to this counsel, how
much it will tend to your safety and peace in life and death.
It is the way really and truly to be ready for death ; yea, to
be tit to live or fit to die ; to be ready for affliction and adver-
sity, and for whatever God in his providence shall bring upon
you. It is the way to be in, not only an habitual, but actual
preparedness for all changes, and particularly for your last
change. — It is the way to possess your souls in a serene and
undisturbed peace, and to enable you to go on with au
immovable fortitude of soul, to meet the most frightful changes,
to encounter the most formidable enemies, and to be ready
with unshaken confidence to triumph over death whenever
you meet him; to have your hearts fixed, trusting in God, as
one that stands on a firm foundation, and hath for his habita-
tion the munition of rocks, that is not afraid of evil tidings,
but laughs at the fear of the enemy. It will be the way for
you to possess that quietness and assurance spoken of, Isa.
xxxii. 17. "The work of righteousness shall be peace, and
the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."
— 'The servant who always stands watching, will not be at all
surprised at the news that his Lord is coming. This will be
the way for you to live above the fear of death. Yea, if
heaven and earth should shake ; you may stand firm and
unshaken, being settled on a rock, which cannot be removed,
but abideth for ever. O how happy are such persons, who
have such safety and peace ! What a blessed peace is that
516 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
which arises from such a constant preparauon for death !
How happy therefore is that servant whom his Lord, when he
Cometh, shall find so doing !
2. What dismal calamities and miseries mankind are sub-
ject to for want of this, for want of behaving themselves every
day, as not depending on any future day ! The way of the
world is, one day foolishly to depend on another, yea, on many
others. And what is the consequence ? Why, the consequence
with respect to the greater part of the world is, that they live
all their days without any true peace or rest of soul. They
are all their lifetime subject to a bondage through fear of death.
And when death sensibly approaches, they are put into a terri-
ble fright. They have a dismal view of their past lives ; the
ill improvement of their time, and the sins they have been guil-
ty of, stand staring them in the face, and are more frightful to
them than so many devils. And when they look forward into
that eternity whither they are going, how dismal is the pros-
pect ! O how do their hearts shrink at the thought of it !
They go before the judgment-seat of God, as those that are
dragged thither, while they would gladly, if they could, hide
themselves in the caves and dens of the earth.
And what is worse yet than all the disquietude and terror
of conscience in this v/orld ; the consequence of a contrary be-
haviour, with respect to the bulk of mankind, is their eternal
perdition. They flatter themselves that they shall see another
day, and then another, and trust to that, until finally most of
them are swallowed up in hell, to lament their folly to all eter-
nity in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. — Con-
sider how it was with all the foolish virgins who trusted to the
delay of the bridegroom's coming ; when he came they were
surprised, and found unprepared, having no oil in their lamps ;
and while they went to buy, those who were ready went in with
him to the marriage ; and the door was shut against them, and
they came afterwards crying in vain. Lord. Lord, open to us.
JSEKMON XVI.
DISHONESTY, OR THE SIN OF THEFT AND INJUSTICE.
Ex. XX. 15.
Thou shalt not sleaL
This is one of the ten commandments which constitute a
memory of man's duty as revealed by God. God made many
revelations to the children of Israel in the wilderness by Moses :
but this made in the Ten Commandments is the chief. Most
of those other revelations contained ceremonial or judicial laws :
but this contains the moral law. The most of those other laws
respected the Jewish natio'n ; but here is a summary of laws
binding on all mankind. Tliose wore to last till Christ should
come, and have set up the Christian Church ; these are of
perpetual obligation, and last to the end of the world. God
every where, by Moses and the prophets, manifests a far
greater regard to the duties of these commands than to any of
the rites of the ceremonial law.
These commands were given at Mount Sinai, before any
of the precepts of the ceremonial or judicial laws. They were
delivered by a great voice out of the midst of the fire, which
made all the people in the camp tremble, and afterwards were
engraven on tables of stone, and laid up in the ark ; the first table
containing the four commandments, which teach our duty to
God ; the second table containing the six last, which teach our
duty to man. The sum of the duties of the first table is con-
tained in that which Christ says is the first and great command-
ment of the law ; Matt. xxii. 37. " Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and Virith all
thy mind." The sum of what is required in the second table,
is what Christ calls the second command, like unto the first :
ol8 VRAO'TICAL SERMONS.
verse 39, "The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love tin
neighbour as thyself."
Of the commands of this second table of the law, the
first, (which is the ffth of the ten,) refers to that honour
which is due to our neighbour \ the second respects his life ;
the third his chastity ; the fourth his estate; the fifth his good
name ; the sixth and last respects his possessions and enjoynnients
in general. It is that command which respects our neighbour's
estate, and which is the fourth command of the second table,
and the eighth of the whole decalogue, on which I am now to in-
sist : and here I shall make the command itself, as the words
of it lie before us in the decalogue, my subject : and as the
words of the commandment are in the form of a prohibition,
forbidding a certain kind of sin ; so I shall consider particu-
larly what it is that this command forbids. The sin that is
forbidden in this command is called stealing; yet we cannot
reasonably understand it only of that act, which in the more
ordinary and strict sense of the word, is called stealing. But
the iniquity which this command forbids, may be summarily-
expressed thus: — An unjust usurping of our neighbour'' s pro-
perty^ without his consent.
So much is doubtless comprehended in the text ; yet this
comprehends much more than is implied in the ordinary use of
the word, stealing ; which is only a secret taking of that which
is another's from his possession, without either his consent or
knowledge. But the ten commands are not to be limited to
the strictest sense of the words, but are to be understood in
such a latitude, as to include all things that are of that nature
or kind. Hence Christ reproves the Pharisees' interpretation
of the sixth command. Matt. v. 21, 22 ; and also their inter-
pretation of the seventh command ; see verses 27, 28 ; by
which it appears that the commands are not to be understood
as forbidding only these individual sins which are expressly
mentioned, in the strictest sense of the expressions; but all
other things of the same nature or kind. — Therefore, what is
forbidden in this command is all unjust usurpation of our neigh-
bour's property. Here it may be observed, that an unjust usur-
pation of our neighbour's property is two-fold; it may be,
either by withholding what is our neighbour's, or, by taking it
from him.
SECT. I.
The dishonesty of withholding what is our neighbour's.
There are many ways in which persons may unjustly usurp
their neighbour's property, by withholding what is his due, but
1 shall particularize only two things.
SER. XVI. The Dishonesty of taking Property. 519
1. The unfaithfulness of men in not fulfilling their engage-
7ncnts. Ordinarily when men promise any thing to their neigh-
bour, or enter into engagements by undertaking any busi-
ness with which their neighbour entrusts them, their engage-
ments invest their neighbour with a right to that which is en-
gaged; so that if they withhold it, they usurp that which belongs
to their neighbour. So, when men break their promises, be-
cause they fiud them to be inconvenient, and they cannot fulfil
them without difficulty and trouble; or merely because they
have altered their minds since they promised ; they think they
have not consulted their own interest in the promise which they
have made, and that if they had considered the matter as much
before they promised as they have since, they should not have
promised. Therefore they take the liberty to set their own
promises aside. Besides, sometin)es persons violate this com-
mand, by neglecting to fulfil their engagements, through a care-
less, negligent spirit.
They violate this command, in withholding what belongs
to their neighbour, when they are not faithful in any business
which they have undertaken to do for their neighbour. If their
neighbour have hired them to labour for him for a certain time,
and they be not careful well to husband the time ; if they be hired
to a day's labour, and be not careful to improve the day, as they
have reason to think that he who hired justly expected of them;
or if they be hired to accomplish such a piece of work, and
be not careful to do it well, do it not as if it were for themselves,
or as they would have others do for them, when they in like man-
ner betrust them with any business of theirs ; or if they be en-
trusted with any particular atTair, which they undertake, but
use not that care, contrivance, and diligence, to manage it so
as will be to the advantage of him who entrusts them, and as
they would manage it, or would insist that it should be ma-
naged, if the affair were their own : in all these cases they un-
justly withhold what belongs to their neighbour.
2. Another way in which men unjustly withhold what is
their neighbour's, is m neglecting to pay their debts. Some-
times this happens, because they run so far into debt that they
cannot reasonably hope to be able to pay their debts ; and this
they do, either through pride and affectation of living above
their circumstances : or through a grasping covetous disposition
or some other corrupt principle. Sometimes they neglect to
pay their debts from carelessness of spirit about it, little con-
cerning themselves whether they are paid or not, taking no
care to go to their creditor, or to send to him ; and if they sec
him from time to time, they say nothing about their debts.
Sometimes they neglect to pay their debts, because it would
put them to some inconvenience. The reason why they do it
not. is not because thev cannot do it, but because they cannot
520 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
do it so conveniently as they desire ; and so they rather choose
to put their creditor to inconvenience by being without whai
properly belongs to him, than to put themselves to inconveni-
ence by being without what doth not belong to them, and what
they have no right to detain. In any of these cases they un-
justly usurp the property of their neighbour.
Sometimes persons have that by them with which they
could pay their debts if they would ; but they want to lay out
their money for something else, to buy gay clothing for their
children, or to advance their estates, or for some such end.
They have oiher designs in hand, which must fail, if they
pay their debts. When men thus withhold what is due,
they unjustly usurp what is not their own. Sometimes they
neglect to pay their debts, and their excuse for it is, that
their creditor doth not need it; that he hath a plentiful estate,
and can well bear to lay out of his money. But if the
creditor be ever so rich, that gives no right to the debtor
to withhold from him that which belongs to him. If it be due,
it ought to be paid : for that is the very notion of its being
due. It is no more lawful to withhold from a man what is his
due, without his consent, because he is rich and able to
do without it, than it is lawful to steal from a man because he
is rich and able to bear the loss.
SECT. 11.
The dislionesty of unjustly taking a neighbour's prope^'ly.
The principal ways of doing this seem to be these
four, by negligence, by fraud, by violence, or by stealing,
strictly so called-
1. The first way of unjustly depriving our neighbour
of that which is his, is by negligence, by carelessly neglect-
ing that which is expected by neighbours one of another,
and is necessary to prevent our neighbour's suffering in his
estate by us, or by any thing that is ours: and necessary
in order that neighbours may live one by another, without
suffering in their lawful interests, rights, and possessions, one
by another.
For instance, when proper care is not taken by men to
prevent their neighbour's suffering in the produce of his fields
or inclosures, from their cattle, or other brute creatures : which
may be either through negligence with regard to their crea-
tures themselves, in keeping those that are unruly, and giving
them their liberty, though they know that they are not fit to
have their liberty, and arc commonly wont to break into their
neighbour's inclosures, greatly to his damage ; or through a
SER. XVI. The Dishonesty of taking Properly. bit
neglect of that which is justly expected of them, to defend
others' fields from suffering by the neighbourhood of their
own. In such cases men are guilty of unjustly taking from
their neighbour what is his property.
It is said in the law of Moses, (Exod. xxii. 5,) " If a man
shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his
beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his
own field, and of the best of his vineyard, shall he make resti-
tution." Now a man may be unjustly the cause of his neigh-
bour's field or vineyard being eaten, either by putting in his
beast, or so doing what he should not do ; or by neglecting
to do what he should do, to prevent his beast from getting into
his field. What is said in the 144th Psalm, and two last verses,
supposes that a people who carry themselves as becomes a
people whose God is the Lord, will take thorough care that
beasts do not break into their neighbour's inclosures : " That
our oxen may be strong to labour ; that there be no breaking
in, or going out ; that there be no complaining in our streets.
Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea, happy is
that people whose God is the Lord."
2. Taking away that which is our neighbour's by fraud,
or by deceiving him, is another mode of usurping our neigh-
bour's property. This is the case when men in their dealings
take advantage of their neighbour's ignorance, or oversight, or
mistake, to get something from him ; or when they make their
gains, by concealing the defects of what they sell, putting off
bad for good, though this be not done by speaking falsely,
but only by keeping silence ; or when they take a higher
price than what they sell is really worth, and more than they
could get for it if the concealed defects were ktiown : or when
they sell that for good, which indeed is not merchantable,
which is condemned in Amos viii. 6, " Yea, and sell the
refuse of the wheat."
If a man puts off something to another with defects that
are concealed, knowing that the other receives it as good,
and pays such a price for it, under a notion of its having no
remarkable defect but what he sees, and takes the price which
the buyer under that notion offers : the seller knows that he
takes a price of the buyer for that which the buyer had not of
him ; for the buyer is deceived, and pays for those things which
he finds wanting in what he buys. It is just the same thing,
as if a man should take a payment that another offers him,
through a mistake, for that which he never had of him, thinking
that he had it of him, when he had it not.
So a man fraudulently takes away that which is his neigh-
bour's when he gets his money from him by falsely commend-
ing what he hath to sell, above what he knows to be the
true quaUty of it; and attributes those good qualities to if-
Vol, VL ne
522 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
which he knows it has not : or if he does not that, yet sets forth
the good quahties in a degree beyond what he knows to be
the true degree ; or speaks of the defects and ill qualities of
what he has to sell, as if they were much less than he knows
they are ; or, on the contrary, when the buyer will cry down
what he is about to buy, contrary to his real opinion of the
value of it. — These things, however common they may be in
men's dealings one with another, are nothing short of iniquity,
and fraud, and a great breach of this commandment, upoa
which we are discoursing. Prov. xx. 14. "It is nought, it is
nought, saith the buyer ; but when he is gone his way, then
he boasteth." — Many other ways there are whereby men de-
ceive one another in their trading, and whereby they fraudu-
lently and unjustly take away that which is their neighbour's.
3. Another mode of unjustly invading and taking away
our neighbour's property, is by violence^ This violence may
be done in different degrees. — Men may take away their
■neighbour's goods either by mere open violence, either making
use of superior strength, forcibly taking away any thing
that is his ; or by express or implicit threatenings forcing
him to yield up what he has into their hands ; as is done in
open robbery and piracy. Or, by making use of some advan-
tages which they have over their neighbour, in their dealings
with him, constrain him to yield to their gaining unreasonably
of him ; as when they take advantage of their neighbour's
poverty to extort unreasonably from him for those things that
he is under a necessity of procuring for himself or family.
This is an oppression against which God hath shown a great
displeasure in his word. Levit. xxv. 14. "And if thou sell
ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour,
ye shall not oppress one another." Prov. xxii. 22, 23. "Rob
not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted
in the gate ; for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the
soul of those that spoiled them." And, Amos iv. 1,2. " Hear
this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mount of Samaria,
which oppress the poor, which crush the needy; the Lord
hath sworn in his holiness, that he will take you away with
hooks, and your posterity with fish-hooks."
When the necessity of poor indigent people is the very
thing whence others take occasion to raise the price of pro-
visions, even above the market; this is such an oppression.
There are many poor people whose families are in such ne-
cessity of bread, that they in their extremity will give almost
any price for it, rather than go without it. Those who have
fo sell, though hereby they have an advantage in their hands,
yet surely should not take the advantage to raise the price of
iprovisions. We should doubtless think that we had just cause
1o complain, if we were in such necessity as they are, and
SEE. XVI, The Dishonesty of taking Properly, 623
were reduced to their straits, and were treated in this manner
and let us remember, that it is owing only to the distin-'
guishing goodness of God to us, that we are not in their cir-
cumstances ; and whatever our present circumstances are, yet
we know not but that the time may still come when their case
may be ours.
Men may oppress others, though they be not poor, if they
will take advantage of any particular necessities of their neigh-
bour, unreasonably to extort from him. The case may be so
at particular seasons, that those who are not poor, may stand
in particular and extraordinary need of what we have, or what
we can do for them ; so that it would be greatly to their dis-
advantage or loss to be without it. Now to take advantage of
their urgent circumstances, to get from them an unreasonable
price, is a violent dealing with our neighbours.
It is very unreasonable to say, Such men are so rich, and
get money so much more easily than I, that it is no hurt for
me to take advantage when they are in special need, and make
them give me, for work that 1 do for them, a great deal more
than I would desire to ask of other men. Let such consider,
whether, if they should by any means hereafter get forward
in the world, and come to have plentiful estates, they would
like that persons should act upon such principles towards
them. That men are rich, gives us no more right to take away
from them what is theirs in this way, than it does to steal from
them because they come easily by their property, and can do
without it better than we.
Again, another thing that is a kind of violent taking from
our neighbour what is his, is taking the advantage of the law
to gain from others, when their cause in honesty and con-
science is just and good. The circumstances of mankind
their rights, possessions, and dealings one with another, are
so various, that it is impossible that any body of human laws^
should be contrived to suit all possible cases and circumstances.
Hence the best laws may be abused and perverted to purposes
contrary to the general design of laws, which is to maintain
the rights and secure the properties of mankind. Human laws
have a regard due to them, but always in subordination to the
higher laws of God and nature. Therefore when it so hap=
pens, that we have an advantage by the law, to gain what the
laws of moral honesty allow not, it is an oppression and vio-
lence to take the advantage. That human laws allow it, will
not excuse us before God, the judge of the world, who will
judge us another day by his own laws, and not by the laws of
the commonwealth.
4. The fourth way of unjustly taking from our neighbour
that which is his, is stealings so called. All unjust ways of
taking away, or invading, or usurping what is our neighbour's
d24 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
are called stealing in the most extensive use of the word, and
all is included in the expression of this command. Yet the
word stealing, as it is more commonly used, is not of so great
extent, and intends not all unjust invasion of our neighbour's
property, but only a particular kind of unjust taking. So that in
common speech when we speak of fraudulent dealings, of ex-
tortion, unfaithfulness in our trust, and stealing, we under-
stand different sins by these expressions, though they are an
usurpation of what is our neighbour's.
Steahng, strictly so called, may be thus defined, A designed
taking of our neighbour'' s goods from him without his consent or
knowledge. It is not merely withholding of what is our neighbour's,
but a taking away : and therein it differs from unfaithfulness in
our undertakings and betrustments, and also from negligence in
the payment of debts. It is a designed or wilful depriving of
our neighbour of what is his, and so differs from wronging our
neighbour in his estate through carelessness or negligence. It
is a taking of our neighbour's goods without his knowledge ; it
is a private clandestine taking away, and so differs from rob-
bery by open violence.
So also it differs from extortion : for in that the person
knows what is taken from him. The aim of him that takes is
no other than that he should know it ; for he makes use of
other means than his ignorance, to obtain what is his neigh-
bour's, viz. violence to constrain him to give it up. So also it
differs from fraudulent dealing or trading. For though in
fraudulent dealing the lawful possessor doth not understand the
way and means by which he parts with his goods, and by
which his neighbour becomes possessed of them ; yet he knows
the fact: The deceiver designedly conceives the manner only.
But in stealing, strictly so called, he that takes, intends not that
it shall be known that he takes. It also differs from extortion
and fraudulent dealing, in that it is wholly without the con-
sent of the owner. For in extortion, though there be no free
consent, yet the consent of the owner is in some sort gain-
ed, though by oppressive means. So in fraudulent dealing
consent is in some sort obtained, though it be by deceit. But
in stealing no kind of consent is obtained.
A person may steal from another, yet not take his goods
^vitbout the knowledge of the owner ; because he may know of
it accidentally, he may see what is done, unawares to the thief.
Therefore I have defined stealing, a designed taking without the
consent or knowledge of the owner. If it be accidentally known
yet it is not known in the design and intention of the thief.
The thief is so far at least private in it, that he gives no notice
to the owner at the time. It must be also without the consent
of the owner. A person may take without the knowledge of the
owner, and yet not take without his consent. The owner may
know not of his taking at the time, or of his taking any parti-
«
SER. XVI. Dishonest Excuses. "^HF "^^^
cular things, yet there may be his implicit consent. There
may have be«n a general consent, if not expressed yet implied.
The circumstances of the affair may be such, that his consent
may well be presumed upon, either from an established custom,
allowed by all, or from the nature of the case ; the thing being
of such a nature, that it may well be presumed that none would
refuse their consent : as in the case of a person's accidentally
passing through his neighbour's vineyard in Israel, and eating
his fill of grapes : or from the circumstances of the persons, as
is the case, in many instances, of the freedom which near neigh-
bours and intimate friends often take, and of that boldness
which they use with respect to each other's goods.
In all such cases, though the owner do not particularly
know what is done, yet he that takes, does it not with any con-
trived, designed concealment. And though there is no express
particular consent, yet there is a consent either implied, or
justly presumed upon ; and he that takes, doth not designedly
do it without consent.
It may happen in some cases, that one may take the goods
of another both without his knowledge and consent, either ex-
plicit or implicit, but through mistake ; yet he may not be
guilty of stealing. Therefore the design of him who takes
must come into consideration. When he designedly takes away
that which is his neighbour's, without his consent or knowledge,
then he steals. So that if it should happen, that he has both
his consent and knowledge, without his design he steals. And
if it so happen that he takes without either his neighbour's con-
sent or knowledge, and yet without his own design, he steals not.
I desire therefore that this, which I take to be the true defini-
tion of theft or stealing, may be borne in mind, viz. A design-
ed taking of our neighbour's goods, without his consent or
knowledge ; because it is needful to clear up many things which
I have yet to say on this subject.
SECT. III.
Dishonest excuses.
Here I shall particularly take notice of some things,
by which persons may be ready to excuse themselves, in
privately taking their neighbour's goods, which however can-
not be a just excuse for it, nor will they make such a taking
not to be stealing.
1. That the person whose goods are privately taken, owes
or is in debt to him that takes them. Some may be ready
to say that they^do not take that which is their neighbour's,
they take that which is their own, because as much is due
to then), their neighbour owes them as much, and unjustly
o2G PRACTICAL SERMONS. •
detains it, and they know not whether ever they shall get
their due of him. Their neighbour will not do them right,
and therefore they must right themselves.
But such pleas as these will not justify a man in going in
a private and clandestine manner to take away any thing of his
neighbour's from his possession, without his consent or know-
ledge ; his doing this is properly stealing. For though some-
thing of his neighbour's which is as valuable as what he takes,
may be due to him ; that doth not give him such a right
to his neighbour's goods, that he may take any thing that
is his, according to his own pleasure, and at what time, and in
what manner he pleases. That his neighbour is in debt to
him, doth not give him a right to take it upon himself to be his
own judge, so that he may judge for himself, which of his
neighbour's goods shall be taken from him to discharge the
debt ; and that he may act merely according to his own
private judgment and pleasure in such a case, without so
much as acquainting his neighbour with the affair.
In order to warrant such a proceeding as this, every thing
that his neighbour has, must be his. A man may not take
indifferently what he pleases out of a number of goods, without
the consent or knowledge of any other person, unless all is his
own, to be disposed of as he pleases. Such a way of using
goods according to our own pleasure, taking what we will,
and at what time we will, can be warranted by nothing but a
dominion over the whole. And though he who is in debt may
be guilty of great injustice in detaining what is due to another;
yet it doth not thence follow, but that he that takes from
him, may also be guilty of great injustice towards him. The
course he takes to right himself may be very irregular and
unreasonable ; and such a course, that if universally allowed
and pursued in such cases, would throw human society into
confusion.
When men obtain a property in any of the professions of
this life, they are at the same time also invested with a right to
retain a possession of them, till they are deprived of them in
some fair and regular proceeding. Every man has a right to
hold his estate, and keep possession of his properties, so that no
other can lawfully use them as his own, until he either parts
with them of his own accord, or until it be taken from him
according to some established rule, in a way of open justice.
Therefore he who under pretence of having just demands
upon his neighbour, privately takes his goods without his con-
sent, takes them unjustly, and is guilty of stealing.
2. Much less will it make such a private taking not
to be stealing, that he who takes, has, in way of kindness
or gift done for the person from whom he takes, as much as is
equivalent to the valve of what he takes. If a man do his
SER. XVI. Dishoiusi Excuses, 627
neighbour some considerable kindness, whether in labour, or
in something that he gives him, what he does or gives is
supposed to be done voluntarily, and he is not to make his
neighbour debtor for it; and therefore if any thing be pri-
vately taken away, upon any such consideration, it is gross
stealing.
For instance, when any person needs to have any services
done for him, where a considerable number bf hands are neces-
sary; it is common for the neighbourhood to meet together
and join in helping their neighbour, and frequently some pro-
vision is made for their entertainment. If any person who hath
assisted on such an occasion, and is a partaker at such an
entertainment, shall think within himself, the service I have done
is worth a great deal more than what I shall eat and drink here,
and therefore shall take liberty privately to take of the provision
set before him, to carry away with him, purposely concealing
the matter from him who hath entertained him, this is gross
stealing ; and it is a very ridiculous plea which they make to
excuse so unmanly and vile an act.
Persons in such cases may say to themselves, that the pro-
vision is made for them, and set before them ; that it is a time
wherein considerable lilierty is given, and they think, seeing
they have done so much for their host, they may take some-
thing more than they eat and drink there. But then let them
he open in it ; let them acquaint those with it who make
the entertainment ; 'and let it not be done in anywise, in a
secret, clandestine manner, with the least design or attempt to
avoid their notice ; on the contrary, let care be taken to give
them notice and obtain their consent.
When persons do such things in a private manner, they
condemn themselves by their own act ; their doing what they
do secretly, shows that they are conscious to themselves,
that they go beyond what it is expected they should do, and
do what would not be allowed, if it were know. Such
an act, however light they may make of it, is abominable
theft, and what any person of religion or any sense of the
dignity of their own nature, would to the greatest degree abhor
and detest.
3. It is not sufficient to make a private taking without
consent not to be stealing, that it is but a small matter that is
taken. If the thing be of little value, yet if it be worth a
purposed concealing from the owner, the value is great enough
to render the taking of it proper theft. If it be pretended
that the thing is of so small consequence, that it is not worth
asking for ; then surely it is not worth a purposed concealing
from the owner, when it is taken. He who under this pretence,
conceals his taking, in the very act contradicts his own pre-
tence ; for bis action shows that he apprehends, or at least sus-
J28 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
pects, that, as small a matter as it is, the owner would not like
the taking of it, if he knew it ; otherwise the taker would not
desire to conceal it.
The owner of the goods, and not other people, is the pro-
per judge, whether what he owns be of such a value, that it is
worth his while to keep it, and to refuse his consent to the
taking of it from him. He who possesses, and not he who
takes away, has a right to judge of what consequence his pos-
sessions are to him. He has a right to set what value he
pleases on them, and to treat them according to that value.
Besides, merely that a thing is of small value, cannot give a
right to others, purposely and designedly to take it away, with-
out the knowledge or consent of the owner. Because if this
only gives a right, then all have a right to take things of small
value ; and at this rate a great number of persons, each of them
taking from a man that which is of small value, might take
away all he has.
Therefore, it will not justify persons, in purposely taking
such things as fruit from the trees, or gardens, or fields of their
neighbours, without their knowledge or consent, that the things
which they take are things of small value : nor is that sufficient
to render such an act, not an act of theft properly so called.
This shows also that the smallness of the value of what is
privately taken at feasts and entertainments, doth not render
the taking of such things not stealing.
The small value of a thing may in some cases justify an
occasional taking of things, so far as we may from thence, and
from what is generally allowed, reasonably presume that the
owner gives his consent. But if that be the case, and persons
really take, as supposing that the owner consents to such occa-
sional taking, then he that takes will not at all endeavour to do
what he does secretly, nor in any measure to avoid notice.
But merely the smallness of the value of a thing, can never
justify a secret taking of what is another's.
SECT. IV.
The subject applied. — The dishonest warned.
The first use I would make of this doctrine, is to v^arit.
against all injustice and dishonesty, as to what appertains to
our neighbour's temporal goods or possessions. Let me warn
all'to avoid all ways of unjustly invading or usurping what is
their neighbour's, and let me press that exhortation of the
apostle ; Rom. xii. 17, "Provide things honest in the sight of
all men;" which implies, that those things which we provide
for ourselves, and use as our own. should be such as we come
SER. XVI. The Dishonest toarned. o'id
honestly by ; and especially that we should avoid all clandes-
tine or underhand ways of obtaining any thing that is our neigh-
bour's, either by fraudulent dealing, or by that taking without
our neighbour's knowledge and consent, of which we have been
speaking.
I warn you to beware of dishonesty in withholding what is
)'Our neighbour's, either by unfaithfulness to your trust in any
business which you undertake, or by withholding your neigh-
bour's just and honest dues. Consider that saying of the apos-
tle, Rom. xiii. 8. "Owe no man any thing, but to love one
another." Be also warned against wronging your neighbour
or injuring him in his enclosures, or on any of his just rights
and properties, through careless neglect of what is reasonably
expected by neighbours one of another, in order that they may
live one by another without mutual injury. Let all beware
that they bring not guilt on their souls in the sight of God, by
taking an advantage to oppress any person. Especially be-
ware of taking advantage of others' poverty to extort from them :
for God will defend their cause, and you will be no gainers by
such oppression.
Beware also of all injustice by deceitful and fraudulent
dealing. You doubtless meet with abundance of temptation to
fraud, and have need to keep a strong guard upon yourselves.
There are many temptations to falsehood in trading, both about
what you would buy, and what you have to sell. There are,
in buying, temptations to do as in Prov. xx. 14. " It is
nought, it is nought, saith the buyer." There are many temp-
tations to take indirect courses, to blind those with whom you
deal, about the qualities of what you have to sell, to diminish
the defects of your commodities, or to conceal them, and to
put off things for good which are bad. And there are doubtless
many other ways that men meet with temptations to deceive
others, which your own experience will better suggest to you
than I can.
But here I shall take occasion to speak of a particular
kind of fraud, which is very aggravated, and is rather a
defrauding of God than man. What I mean is, the giving of
that zohich is had for good in public contributions. Though it
be matter of great shame and lamentation that it should be
so, yet it is to be feared, from what has sometimes been
observed, that there are some who, when there is a public
contribution to be made for the poor, or some other pious and
charitable use, sometimes take that opportunity to put off their
bad money. That which they find, or think their neighbours
will refuse to take at their hands, because they will have
opportunity to see what is offered them and to observe the
badness of it, even that they therefore take opportunity to put
off to God.
VoT, VJ, ^7
530 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
Hereby they endeavour to save their credit ; for they
apprehend that they shall be concealed. They appear with
others to go to the contribution, as it is not known but that
they put in that which is ^ood. But they cheat the church
of God, and defraud the expectations of the poor ; or, rather,
they lie to God : for those who receive what is given, stand as
Christ's receivers, and not as acting for themselves in this
matter.
They that do thus, do that which is very much of the
same nature with that sin, against which God denounces that
dreadful curse in Mai. i. 14. "Cursed be the deceiver which
hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the
Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord
of Hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen."
That hath in his Jiock a male, i. e. that has in his flock that
which is good and fit to be offered to God ; for it was the
male of the flock principally that was appointed, in the law
of Moses, to be offered in sacrifice. He has in his flock that
which is good, but he vows and sacrifices to the Lord, " the
torn, the lame, and the sick," as it is said in the foregoing
verse ; ye said also, " Behold what a weariness is it, and ye
have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of Hosts ; and ye brought
that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick ; thus ye
brought an otTering : should I accept this of your hands ? saith
the Lord."
Contributions in the Christian church come in the room
of sacrifices in the Jewish church : mercy comes in the room
of sacrifice. And what is offered in the way of mercy is as
much offered to God as the sacrifices of old were. For what
is done to the poor is done to Christ, and he that hath pity
on the poor, lendeth to the Lord ; Prov. xix. 17. The Jews
that offered the sick and lame of the flock, knew that if they
had offered it to their governor, and had attempted to put it
off as part of the tribute or public taxes due to their earthly
rulers, it would not be accepted, and therefore they were
willing to put it off to God. " And if ye offer the blind
for sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the lame and
sick, is it not evil ? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he
be pleased with thee, or accept thy person ? saith the Lord of
Hosts."
So those persons who purposely put bad money into
contributions, know that what they put in would not be
accepted, if they should offer to pay their public taxes.
Yea, they know that their neighbours would not accept it at
their hands ; and therefore they are willing to save themselves
by putting it off to God.
This practice has also very niuch of the nature of the
sin of Ananias and Sapphira. What they offered was by
ftER. XVI. Tke Dishonest warned. ' 53 i
way of contribution for charitable uses. The brethren sold
what they had, and brought it into a common stock, and
put all under the care of deacons, that the poor might every
one be supplied. Ananias and Sapphira brought a part of
their possessions, and put it into the common stock ; and
their sin was, that they put it in for more than it really was.
It was but a part of what they had, and they put it in, and
would have it accepted, as if it had been all. So those among
us, of whom I am speaking, put off what they put into the
charitable stock for more than it is. For they put it in, under
the notion that it is something of some value : they intend it
shall be so taken by the church that sees them go to the con-
tribution, when indeed they put in nothing at all.
Ananias and Sapphira were charged with lying to God,
and doing an act of fraud towards God himself, in what they
did : Acts v. 4. " Whilst it remained, was it not thine own ?
And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why
hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ? Thou hast not
lied unto men, but unto God." So those who knowingly put
bad money for good into a contribution for a charitable use,
as much as in them lies commit an act of fraud and deceit
towards God. For the deacons who receive what is contri-
buted, receive it not in their own names, but as Christ's
receivers. I hope these things may be sufficient to deter
every reader from ever daring to do such a thing for the future.
Again, another thing I would warn you against is,
stealing, properly and strictly so called ; or designedly taking
away any of your neighbour's goods without his consent or
knowledge. And especially I would now take occasion to
warn ao-ainst a practice which is very common in the country,
particularly among children and young people; and that is,
stealing fruit from their neighbours' trees or enclosures. There
is a licentious liberty taken by many children and young peo-
ple, in making bold with their neighbours' fruit ; and it is to be
feared, that they are too much countenanced in it by their pa-
rents and many elder people.
I am sensible, that the great thing which is pleaded, and
made very much the ground of this liberty which is taken, and
so much tolerated, is a very abusive and unreasonable construc-
tion and application of that text of scripture in Deut. xxiii. 24.
" When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou
mayest eat grapes thy fill. But thou shalt not put any in thy
vessel." Because this text seems to be so much mistaken and
misimproved, I shall therefore endeavour particularly to state
the matter of persons taking their neighbours' fruit, and to set
it in a just and clear light as concerning this text.
It was to eat their fill of grapes when they occasionally
came into or passed through their neighbour's vineyard, and
03'2 PRACTICAL SEHMOXS.
not that they should go thither on purpose to eat grapes. This
is manifest by the manner of expression : " When thou contest
into thy neighbour's vineyard, thou mayest eat ;" i. e. when
thou art come thither on some other occasion. If God had
meant to give them leave to come thither on purpose, for no
other end, it would not have been expressed so : but rather
thus, Thou mayest come into thy neighbour's vineyard, and eat
grapes thy fill. — Such were the circumstances of that people,
and vineyards among them were so common, that there was
no danger that this liberty would be attended with ill conse-
quence. It is manifest throughout the history of Israel, that
vineyards among them were so common that the people in ge-
neral had them. Every husbandman among them was a vine-
dresser ; and a great part of the business of a husbandman
among them, consisted in dressing and taking care of his vine-
yards. Grapes seem to have been the most common sort of
fruit that they had. Besides, there was no liberty given for
persons to go on purpose to a vineyard to eat the fruit of it.
So that there was no danger of neighbours suffering one by
another, by any such liberty. — The liberty did not tend to any
such consequence, as the flocking of a great number to eat
grapes, whereby the fruit of the vineyard might be much
diminished.
Such were the circumstances of the case, that the consent
of the owners of vineyards in general might well be presumed
upon, though no such express liberty had been given. You
may remember, that in the definition of stealing, I observed, that
explicit consent is not always necessary ; because the case may
be so circumstanced, that consent may be well presumed on.
And the reason why consent might well be presumed on in
the case of eating grapes, of which we are now speaking, is, that
there could be no sensible injury, nor any danger of any ill conse-
quences, by which a man would sensibly suffer in the benefit
of his vineyard. Hence it is the more easy to determine, what
would, and what would not be justified by this text, among us.
Suppose a particular person among us had a vineyard of the
same kind with those which the children of Israel had, it
would not justify others in using the same liberty when oc-
casionally passing through it ; because it would be a rare thing,
and the rarity and scarcity of the fruit would render it of much
greater value. Besides, if one man were distinguished by
such a possession, to allow of such a liberty would have a
much greater tendency to ill consequences, than if they were
common, as they were in the land of Canaan. There would
be danger of many persons falsely pretending and making occa-
sions to pass through the vineyard, for the sake of such rare fruit.
Nor would it be a parallel case, if men in general among
us had each of them a fero vines. That would be a very dif-
SER. xvie Tkc Dishonest warned. o^iS
ferent thing from persons in general having large vineyards.
Nor would this text, in such a case, warrant men's eating their
fill of grapes when occasionally passing by. — And though all
in general had vineyards, as they had in the land of Canaan,
this text would not justify men in going into their neighbour's
vineyard on purpose to eat the fruit. No such liberty is given
in the text. If there had been such liberty, it might have been
of ill consequence. For the sake of saving their own grapes,
men might make a practice of going and sending their children
into their neighbour's vineyards, to eat their fill from time to,
time.
But the liberty given in this text to the children of Israel,
seems to be very parallel with the liberty taken among us, to
take up an apple or two and eat, as we are occasionally passing
through a neighbour's orchard : which as our circumstances,
are, we may do, and justly presume that we have the owner's
consent. This is a liberty that we take, and find no ill con-
sequences. It was very much so with vineyards in the land
of Canaan, as it is with orchards among us. Apples in some
countries are a rare fruit ; and there it would by no means be
warrantable for persons to take the same liberty, when occa-
sionally passing by their neighbour's apple tree, which we war-
rantably take here, when going through a neighbour's orchard.
The consideration of these things will easily show the
great abuse that is made of this text, when it is brought to
justify such a resorting of children and others to their neigh-
bour's fruit trees, as is sometimes, on purpose to take and eat
the fruit. Indeed this practice is not only not justified by the
law of Moses, but it is in itself unreasonable, and contrary to
the law of nature. The consequences of it are pernicious, so
that a man can have no dependence on enjoying the fruit of
his labour or the benefit of his property in those things, which
possibly he may very much value. He can have no assurance
but that he shall be mainly deprived of what he has, and that
others will not have the principal benefit of it ; and so that
his end in planting and cultivating that from which he expected
those fruits of the earth, which God hath given for the use,
comfort, and delight of mankind, will not be in the main
frustrated.
/>34 PRACXrCAI. SEKMOXS,
SECT. V.
An Exhortation to Honesty.
Under this use, I shall confine myself to two particulars,
many other things having been already spoken to.
1. 1 shall hence take occasion to exhort parents to restrain
their children from stealing, and particularly from being
guilty of theft in stealing the fruits of their neighbour's trees
or fields. Christian parents are obliged to bring up their
children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. But
how much otherwise do they act who bring them up in theft !
And those parents are guilty of this, who — though they do not
directly teach them to steal, by example and setting them about
it, yet — tolerate them in it.
Parents should take effectual care, not only to instruct
their children better, and to warn them against any such
thievish practices, but also thoroughly to restrain 4hem. Chil-
dren who practise stealing, make themselves vile. Stealing,
by the common consent of mankind is a very vile practice ;
therefore those parents that will not take thorough care to
restrain their children from such a practice, will be guilty c "
the same sin which God so highly resented, and awfully
punished in Eli, of which we read, 1 Sam. iii. 13. "For I
have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the
iniquity which he knoweth : because his sons made themselves
vile, and he restrained them not.
2. 1 exhort those who are conscious in themselves that
they have heretofore wronged their neighbour, to make resti-
tution. This is a duty, the obligation to which is exceedingly
plain. If a person was wronged in taking away any thing
that was his. certainly he is wronged also in detaining it; and
all the while that a person, who has been guilty of wronging
his neighbour, neglects to make restitution, he lives in that
wrong. He not only lives impenitent as to that first wrong of
which he was guilty, but he continually wrongs his neighbour.
A man who hath gotten any thing from another wrongfully,
goes on to wrong him every day that he neglects to restore it,
when he has opportunity to do it. The person injured did
not only suffer wrong from the other when his goods were first
taken from him, but he suffers new injustice from him all the
while they are unjustly kept from him.
Therefore I counsel you who are conscious that you have
heretofore wronged your neighbour, either by fraud, or op-
pression, or unfaithfulness, or stealing, whether lately or
formerly, though it may have been a great while ago, speedily
to go and make restitution for all the wrong your neighbour
SER. XVI. An Exhortation to Honesty. 535
has suffered at your hands. That it was done long ago, doth
not quit you from obligation to restore. This is a duty with
which you must comply ; you camiot be acquitted without it.
As long as you neglect it, it will be unreasonable in you to
expect any forgiveness of God. For what ground can you
have to think that God will pardon you, as long as you
wilfully continue in the same wrong, and wrong the same man
still every day, by detaining from him that which is his ?
You in your prayers ask of God, that he would forgive all
your sins ; but your very prayers are mockery, if you still
'wilfully continue in those sins. — Indeed, if you go and confess
your faults to your neighbour, and he will freely acquit you
from making restitution, you will be acquitted from the obli-
gation ; for in so doing, your neighbour gives you what before
was his. But otherwise you cannot be acquitted.
I would leave this advice with all, for direction in their
behaviour on their death beds. Indeed you should not by
any means put it off till you come to die ; and you will run
the most fearful risk in so doing. But if you will not do it
now, while you are in health, I will leave it with you to
remember, when you shall come to lie on your death-beds.
Doubtless, then if you have the use of your reason, you will
be concerned for the salvation of your poor souls. And let
this be one thing then remembered, as absolutely necessary
in order to your salvation, that before you die, you must
make restitution for whatever wrong you shall have done any
of your neighbours ; or at least leave orders that such resti-
tution be made; otherwise you wilh as it were, go out of the
world, and go before your Great Judge, with stolen goods in
your hands. And certainly it will not be very comfortable or
safe, to bring them into his infinitely holy and dreadful
presence, when he sits on his throne of judgment, with his
eyes as a flame of fire, being more pure than to look on ini-
quity : when he is about to sentence you to your everlasting
unalterable state.
Every one here present, who has been guilty of wronging
his neighbour, aud has not made restitution, must die. Let all
such therefore remember this counsel now given them, on the
day when death shall approach, if they shall be so fooHsh as to
neglect it till that time.
SERMON XVII.
CHRISTIAN CHARITY, &c. &c.
Deut. XV. 7 — 12.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren^ within
any of thy gates ^ in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee, thou shall not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand
from thy poor brother : But thou shalt open thine hand wide
unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need,
in that tohich he wanteth. Beware that there be not a
thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the
year of release is at hand : and thine eye be evil against thy
poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto
the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt
surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when
thou givest unto him : because that for this thing the Lord
thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou
- puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease
out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying. Thou
shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor ^
and to thy needy, in thy land,
SECT. I.
The Words explained.
The duty here enjoined is giving to the poor ; " If there
be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren, thou shalt
not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor bro-
ther : Thou shalt surely give him." Here by thy poor brother
is to be understood the same as in other places is meant by
neighbour. It is explained in Levit. xxv. 35, to mean not
only those of their own nation, but even strangers and so-
journers: "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in
SER. xvir. The Words explained. 537
decay with thee : then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he
be a stranger^ or a sojourner.'^'' The Pharisees indeed inter-
preted it to signify only one of their own nation ; but Christ
condemns this interpretation, Luke x. 29, &c. and teaches, in
contradiction to their opinion, that the rules of charity, in the
law of Moses, are to be extended to the Samaritans, who were
not of their nation, and between whom and the Jews there was
the most bitter enmity, and who were a people very trouble-
some to the Jews.
God gives us direction how we are to give in such a case»
viz. bountifnlli/ and roillingly. We should give bountifidli/^
and sufficiently for the supply of the poor's need : verse 7, 8-
"Thou shall not shut up thine hand from thy poor brother;
but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and lend him
sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth." And again,
in verse 11. "Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land." Again,
we should give zoillingly, and without grudging : verse 7.
"Thou shalt not harden thine heart from thy poor brother ;"
and verse 10. " And thine heart shall not be grieved when thou
givest him."
We may also observe how peremptorily this duty is here
enjoined, and how much it is insisted on. It is repeated over
and over again, and enjoined in the strongest terms : verse 7.
" Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from
thy poor brother;" verse 8. " But thou shalt open thine hand
wide unto him ;" verse 10 "Thou shalt surely give him;"
verse 11. "I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine
hand wide unto thy brother ; to thy poor, and to thy
needy."
Moreover, God strictly warns against objections, verse 9.
" Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,
saying, " The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand : and
thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest
him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be
sin unto thee." The matter concerning the seventh year, or
year of release, was thus : God had given Israel a law, that every
seventh year should be a year of release ; that if any man had
lent any thing to any of his poor neighbours, if the latter had not
been able to repay it before that year, the former should release
it, and should not exact it of his neighbour, but give it to
him. Therefore God warns the children of Israel against
making of this an objection to helping their poor neighbours,
that the year of release was near at hand ; and it was not likely
that they would be able to refund it again before that time, and
then they should lose it wholly, because then they would be
obhged to release it. God foresaw that the wickedness of
their hearts would bp ready to make such an objection ; but
VoT,. VT, fip,
538 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
very strictly warns them against it, that they should not be
the more backward to supply the wants of the needy for that,
but should be willing to give him : " Thou shall be willing to
lend, expecting nothing again."
Men are exceedingly apt to make objections against such
duties, which God speaks of here as a manifestation of the
wickedness of their hearts : " Beware that there be not a
thought in thy wicked heart," &c. The warning is very strict.
God doth not only say, Beware that thou do not actually
refuse to give him : but, Beware that thou have not one ob-
jecting thought against it, arising from a backwardness to
liberality. God warns against the beginnings of uncharitable-
ness in the heart, and against whatever tends to a forbearance
to give : " And thou give him nought, and he cry unto the
Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee." God warns
them from the guilt which they would be liable to bring upon
themselves hereby.
We may observe here several enforcements of this duty.
There is a reason of this duty implied in God's calling him
that is needy, our brother: " Thou shalt not shut thine hand
from thy poor brother f and verse 9. " Beware that thine eye
be not evil against thy poor 6ro<Aer ;" and verse 11. "Thou
shalt open thine hand wide to thy brother.'''' We are to look
upon ourselves as related to all mankind, but especially to
those who are of the visible people of God. We are to look
upon them as brethren, and to treat them accordingly. We
shall be base indeed, if we be not willing to help a brother
in want. — Another enforcement of this duty is the promise of
God, that for this thing he will bless us in all our works, and
in all that we put our hands unto ; a promise that we shall not
^ose, but gain by it, (verse 10.) — Another is, that we shall never
want proper objects of our charity and bounty: verse 11.
" For the poor shall never cease out of thy land." This God
saith to the Jewish church ; and the like Christ saith to the
Christian church, Matt. xxvi. 11. " The poor ye have always
with you." This is to cut off an excuse that uncharitable
persons would be ready to make for not giving, that they could
find no body to give to, that they saw none who needed. God
cuts off such an excuse, by telling us, that he would so order
it in his providence, that his people every where, and in all
ages, shall have occasion for the exercise of that virtue.
From this account the doctrine is obvious, that it is the
absolute and indispensable duty of the people of God, to give
bountifully and willingly for supplying the wants of the needy.
—But more particularly,
1. It is the duty of the people of God, to give bountifully
for the aforesaid purpose. It is commanded once and again
in the text, " Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy poor
^)EK. xviu The Jl arch- explained. oA^
brother." Merely to give something is not suHicieut ; it
answers not the rule, nor comes up to the holy command of
God ; but we must open our hand wide. What we give, con-
sidering our neighbour's wants, and our ability, should be such
as may be called a liberal gift. What is meant in the text by
opening the hand wide, with respect to those that arc able, is
explained in ver. 8. " Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto
him, and shall surely lend him sufticient for his want in that
which he ncedeth." By lending here, as is evident by the two
following verses, an'ii as we have just now shown, is not only
meant lending to receive again ; the word lend in scripture is
sometimes used for giving ; as in Luke vi. 35. "Do good and
lend, hoping ioc nothing again."
We are commanded, therefore, to give our poor neighbour
what is sufficient for his need. There ought to be none suffered
to live in pinching want, among a visible people of God, who
are able ; unless in case of idleness, or prodigality, or some
such case which the word of God excepts. — It is said that the
children of Israel should lend to the poor, and in the year of
release should release what they had lent save when there should
be no poor among them. It is rendered in the margin, to the
end there he no poor among you ; i. e. you should so supply the
wants of the needy, that there may be none among you in
pinching want. This translation seems the more likely to be
the true one, because God says, ver. 1 1 . that there shall be no
such time when there shall he. no poor, who shall be proper
objects of charity. — When persons give very sparingly, it is no
manifestation of charity, but of a contrary spirit : 2 Cor. ix. 5.
" Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that
they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand
your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same
might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covet-
ousness." The apostle here calls a very sparing contribution,
matter of covetousness.
2. It is the duty of the visible people of God, to give for
the supply of the needy, freely, and without grudging. It doth
not at all answer the rule in the sight of God, if it be done
with an inward grudging, or if the heart be grieved, and it
inwardly hurt the man to give what he gives : Thou shall
surely give," says God, " and thine heart shall not be grieved."
God looks at the -heart, and the hand is not accepted without
it: 2 Cor. ix. 7. "Every man according as he hath purposed
in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity^
for God loveth a cheerful giver."
3. This is a duty to which God's people are under very
strict obligations. It is not merely a commendable thing for
540 i-iiACilCAL SERMOXs.
a man to be kind and bountiful to the poor, but our bounden
duty, as much a duty as it is to pray, or to attend public wor-
ship, or any thing else whatever ; and the neglect of it brings
great guilt upon any person.
.SECT. n.
Of the Obligation of Christians to perform the Duty of Charity
to the poor.
This duty is absolutely commanded, and much insisted on
in the word of God. Where have we any command in the
Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more peremptory
urgent manner, than the command of giving to the poor?
We have the same law in a positive manner laid down in
Levit. XXV. 35, &c. "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and
fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him ; yea,
though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with
thee." And at the conclusion of ver. 38, God enforces it with
saying, / am the Lord thy God.
It is mentioned in scripture, not only as a duty, but a
great duty. Indeed it is generally acknowledged to be a duty
to be kind to the needy ; but by many it seems not to be looked
upon as a duty of great importance. However, it is mentioned
in scripture as one of the greater and more essential duties of
religion ; Micah vi. 8. "He that showeth thee, O man, what
is good ; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but
to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God V
Here to love mercy is mentioned as one of the three great things
that are the sum of all religion. So it is mentioned by the
apostle James, as one of the three things wherein pure and
undefiled religion consists : James i. 27. " Pure religion, and
undefiled, before God and the Father, is this. To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world."
So Christ tells us, it is one of the weightier matters of the
law: Matt. xxii. 23. "Ye have omitted the weightier mat-
ters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." The scriptures
again and again teach us, that it is a more weighty and
essential thing than the attendance on the outward ordinances of
worship : Hos. vi. 6. "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice :"'
Matt. ix. 13, and xii. 7. I know of scarce any duty which is
so much insisted on, so pressed and urged upon us, both in the
Old Testament and New, as this duty of charity to the poor.
The reason of the thing strongly obliges to it. It is not
only very positively and frequently insisted on by God, but it
SER. XVII. Obligations to Chantij. 541
is most reasonable in itself; and so, on this account, there is
reason why God should much insist upon it.
1. It is most reasonable, considering the general state and
nature of mankind. This is such as renders it most reasonable
that we should love our neighbour as ourselves; for men are
made in the image of our God, and on this account are worthy
of our love. Besides, we are all nearly allied one to another
by nature. We have all the same nature, like faculties, like
dispositions, like desires of good, like needs, like aversion to
misery, and are made of one blood ; and we are made to
subsist by society and union one with another. God hath
made us with such a nature, that we cannot subsist without the
help of one another. Mankind in this respect are as the mem-
bers of the natural body ; one cannot subsist alone, without an
union with, and the help of the rest.
Now, this state of mankind shows how reasonable and
suitable it is, that men should love their neighbours ; and that
we should not look every one at his own things, but every man
also at the things of others, Phil. ii. 4. A selfish spirit is very
unsuitable to the nature and state of mankind. He who is all
for himself, and none for his neighbours, deserves to be cut off
from the benefit of human society, and to be turned out among
wild beasts, to subsist by himself as well as he can. A private
niggardly spirit is more suitable for wolves and other beasts of
prey, than for human beings.
To love our neighbours as ourselves, is the sum of the
moral law respecting our fellow-creatures ; and to help them,
and to contribute to their relief, is the most natural expression
of this love. It is vain to pretend to a spirit of love to our neigh-
bours, when it is grievous to us to part with any thing for their
help when under calamity. They who love only in word, and
in tongue, and not in deed, have no love in truth. Any pro-
fession without it is a vain pretence. To refuse to give to the
needy, is unreasonable, because we therein do io others contrary
to what we would have others do to us in like circumstances.
We are very sensible of our own calamities; and when we
suflfer, are ready enough to think that our state requires the
compassion and help of others ; and are ready enough to think
it hard, if others will not deny themselves in order to help us
when in straits.
2. It is especially reasonable, considering our circum-
stances, under such a dispensation of grace as that of the
gospel. Consider how much God hath done for us, how
greatly he hath loved us, what he hath given us, when we
were so unworthy, and when he could have no addition to his
happiness by us. Consider that silver and gold, and earthly
crowns, were in his esteem but mean things to give us, and he
hath therefore given us his own Son. Christ loved and pitied
64iii PKA( TICAI, SERMONS.
US, when we were poor, and he laid out himself to help, and
even did shed his own blood for us without grudging. He did
not think much to den) himself, and to be at great cost for us
vile wretches, in order to make us rich, and to clothe us with
kingly robes, when we were naked : to feast us at his own table
with dainties infinitely costly, when we were starving ; to
advance us from the dunghill, and set us among princes, and
make us to inherit the throne of his glory, and so to give us
the enjoyment of the greatest wealth and plenty to all eternity ;
agreeably to 2 Cor. viii. 9. ••' For ye know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes
he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
Considering all these things, what a poor business will it be,
that those who hope to share these benefits, yet cannot give
something for the relief of a poor neighbour without grudging !
that it should grieve them to part with a small matter, to help
a fellow-servant in calamity, when Christ did not grudge to
shed his own blood for them !
How unsuitable is it for us, who live only by kindness, to
be unkind ! What would have become of us, if Christ had been
so saving of his blood, and loth to bestow it, as many men are
of their money or goods ? or if he had been as ready to excuse
himself from dying for us, as men commonly are to excuse
themselves from charity to their neighbour? If Christ would
have made objections of such things, as men commonly object
to performing deeds of charity to their neighbour, he would
have found enough of them.
Besides. Christ, by his redemption, has brought us into a
more near relation one to another, hath made us children of
God, children in the same family. We are all brethren, having
God for our common Father ; which is much more than to be
brethren in any other family. He hath made us all one body ;
therefore we ought to be united, and subserve one another's
good, and bear one another's burdens, as is the case with the
members of the same natural body. If one of the members
suffer, all the other members bear the burden with it, 1 Cor.
xii. 26. If one member be diseased or wounded, the other
members of the body will minister to it, and help it. So surely
it should be in the body of Christ : Gal. vi. 2. "Bear ye one
another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Apply these things to yourselves ; and inquire, whether
you do not lie under guilt on account of the neglect of this
duty, in withholding that charity which God requires of you
towards the needy ? You have often been put upon examining
yourselves, whether you do not live in some way displeasing
to God. Perhaps at such times it never came into your minds,
whether you did not lie under guilt on this account. — But
this neglect certainly brings guilt upon the soul in the sight of
8EK. xvii. .'in Exhortaiioji to Charity. 543
God, as is evident by the text : " Beware that thine eye be not
evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and
he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be a sin unto thee,"
ver. 9. This is often mentioned as one of the sins of Judah
and Jerusalem, for which God was about to bring such terrible
judgments upon them ; and it was one of the sins of Sodom,
for which that]^,city was destroyed, thai she did not give to
supply the poor and needy, Ezek. xvi. 49. " This was the
iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abun-
dance of idleness in her, and in her daughters ; neither did she
strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
And have we not reason to fear, that much guilt lies upon
this land on this very account ? We have a high conceit of our-
selves for religion ; but do not many other countries shame us?
Do not the Papists shame us in this respect? So far as I can
understand the tenor of the Christian religion, and the rules of
the word of God, the same are in no measure in this respect
answered by the general practice of most people in this land.
There are many who make a high profession of religion ; but do
not many of them need to be informed by the apostle James,
what true religion is ?
Let every one examine himself, whether he do not lie
under guilt in this matter. Have you not forborne to give,
when you have seen your brother in want ? Have you not shut
up the bowels of your compassion towards him, and forborne
to deny yourselves a little for his relief? Or when you have
given, have you not done it grudgingly "? And has it not in-
wardly hurt and grieved you ? You have looked upon what
you have given, as lost : so that what you have given, has been,
as the apostle expresses it, a matter of covetousness, rather than
of bounty. Have not occasions of giving been unwelcome to
you ? Have you not been uneasy under them ? EJave you not
felt a considerable backwardness to give ? Have you not, from
a grudging, backward spirit, been apt to raise objections against
giving, and to excuse yourselves ? Such things as these bring
guilt upon the soul, and often bring down the curse of God
upon the persons in whom these things are found, as we may
show more fully hereafter.
SECT. in.
An Exhortation to the Duty of Charity to the Poor.
We are professors of Christianity, we pretend to be the
followers of Jesus, and to make the gospel our rule. We have
the Bible in our houses. Let us not behave ourselves in this
particular, as if we had never seen the Bible, as if we were
544 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
ignorant of Christianity, and knew not what kind of religion it is.
What will it sif^nif) to pretend to be Christians, and at the same
time to live in the neglect of those rules of Christianity which
are mainly insisted on in it ? But there are several things which
I would here propose to your consideration.
I. Consider that what you have is not your own ; i, e. you
have only a subordinate right. Your goods are only lent to
you of God, to be improved by 3'ou in such ways as he directs.
You yourselves are not your own ; 1 Cor. vi. 20. " Ye are
not your own, for ye are bought with a price; your body and
your spirit are God's." And if you yourselves are not your
own, so then neither are your possessions your own. Many of
you have by covenant given up yourselves and all you have to
God. You have disowned and renounced any right in your-
selves or in any thing that you have, and have given to God
all the absolute right ; and if you be true Christians, you have
done it from the heart.
Your money and your goods are not your own ; they are
only committed to you as stewards, to be used for him who
committed them to you ; 1 Pet. iv. 9, 10. " Use hospitality
one to another without grudging. As every man hath received
the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God." A steward has no
business with his master's goods, to use them any otherwise
than for the benefit of his master and his family, or according
to his masters' direction. He hath no business to use them, as
if he were the proprietor of them ; he hath nothing to do with
them, only as he is to use them for his master. He is to give
every one of his master's family their portion of meat in due
season.
But if instead of that, he hoards up his master's goods for
himself, and withholds them from those of the household, so
that some of the famil^are pinched for want of food and clothing;
he is therein guilty of robbing his master and embezzling his
substance. And would any householder endure such a steward ?
If he discovered him in such a practice, would he not take
his goods out of his hands, and commit them to the care of
some other steward, who should give every one of his family
his portion of meat in due season ? Remember that all of us
must give account of our stewardship, and how we have dis-
posed of those goods which our master has put into our hands.
And if when our master comes to reckon with us, it be found,
that we denied some of his family their proper provision,
while we have hoarded up for ourselves, as if we had been the
proprietors of our master's goods, what account shall we give
of this ?
II. God tells us, that he shall look upon what is done
in charity to our neighbours in want, as done unto him ; and
SER. XVII. An Exhortation to Charity, 545
what is denied unto them, as denied unto him. Prov. xix. 17.
" He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord." God
hath been pleased to make our needy neighbours his receivers.
He in his infinite mercy hath so interested himself in their case,
that he looks upon what is given in charity to them, as given
to himself; and when we deny them what their circumstances
require of us, he looks upon it that we therein rob him of his
right.
Christ teaches us, that we are to look upon our fellovv
Christians in this case as himself, and that our giving or with-
holding from them, shall be taken, as if we so behaved our-
selves towards him ; see Matt. xxv. 40. There Christ says to
the righteous on his right hand, who had supplied the wants of
the needy, " In that ye have done it to one of the least of these
my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'^ In like manner he
says to the wicked who had not shown mercy to the poor, vcr.
45, " Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these
ye did it not to me." — Now what stronger enforcement of this
duty can be conceived, or is possible than this, that Jesus Christ
looks upon our kind and bountiful, or unkind and uncharitable
treatment of our needy neighbours, as such a treatment of
himself?
If Christ himself were upon earth, and dwelt among us
in a frail body, as he once did, and were in calamitous and
needy circumstances, should we not be willing to supply
him ? Should we be apt to excuse ourselves from helping
him ? Should we not be willing to supply him, so that he
might live free from distressing poverty ? And if we did
otherwise, should we not bring great guilt upon ourselves 't
And might not our conduct justly be very highly resented by
God ? Christ was once here in a frail body, stood in need of
the charity, and was maintained by it; Luke viii. 2, 3. "And
certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and in«
firmitics, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven
devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and
Susanna and many others, which ministered unto him of their
substance." So he still, in many of his members, needs the
charity of others.
III. Consider that there is an absolute necessity of our
complying with the difficult duties of religion. To give to
the poor in the manner and measure that the gospel prescribes,
is a difficult duty; i. e. it is very contrary to corrupt nature, to
that covetousness and selfishness of which there is so much
in the wicked heart of man. Man is naturally governed only
by a principle of self-love ; and it is a difficult thing to corrupt
nature, for men to deny themselves of their present interest,
trusting in God to make it up to them hereafter. — But how
often hath Christ told us the necessity of doing difficult duties
VpL, VL 69
546 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
of religion, if we will be his disciples ; that we must sell all,
take up our cross daily, deny ourselves, renounce our worldly
profits and interests, &;c. And if this duty seem hard and dif-
ficult to you, let not that be an objection with you against
doing it 5 for you have taken up quite a wrong notion of things,
if you expect to go to heaven without performing difficult
duties ; if you expect any other than to find the way to life a
narrow way.
IV. The scripture teaches us, that this very particular
duty is necessary. Particularly,
1. The scripture teaches, that God will deal with us as we
deal with our fellow-creatures in this particular, and that with
what measure we mete to others in this respect, God will mea-
sure to us again. This the scripture asserts both ways ; it as-
serts that if we be of a merciful spirit, God will be merciful
to us : Matt. v. 7. " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy." Psal. xviii. 25. "With the merciful thou wilt
show thyself merciful." On the other hand it tells us, that if
we be not merciful, God will not be merciful to us, and that
all our pretences to faith and a work of conversion will not
avail us, to obtain mercy, unless we be merciful to them that
are in want. James ii. 13 — 16. "For he shall have judgment
without mercy, that bath showed no mercy .—What doth it profit,
my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not
works? Can faith save him ? If a brother or sister be naked,
and destitute of daily food ; and one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled ; notwithstanding
ye give them not those things which are needful to the body 5
what doth it profit ?"
2. This very thing is often mentioned in scripture, as an
essential part of the character of a godly man : Ps. xxxvii. 21,
" The righteous showeth mercy, and giveth ;" and again, ver.
26. " He is ever merciful, and lendeth." Ps. cxii. 5. " A
good man showeth favour and lendeth :" and ver. 9. " He hath
dispersed, and given to the poor." So Prov. xiv. 31. "He
that honoureth God, hath mercy on the poor." Again Prov.
xxi. 26 ; and Is. Ivii. 1. ^A righteous man, and a merciful man
are used as synonymous terms ; " The righteous perisheth, and
merciful men are taken away." &c.
It is mentioned in the New Testament as a thing so essen-
tial, that the contrary cannot consist with a sincere love to God.
1 John iii. 17 — 19. "But whoso hath this world's good, and
seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dvvelleth the love of God in him ?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue,
but in deed 9nd in truth. And hereby we know that we are
of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." So the
apostle Pau!^ when he writes to the Corinthians.^ and proposes
^ER. xviu vt/n Exhortation to Charity. .j47
their contributing for the supply of tlie poor saints, tells them
what he doth it for, viz. a trial of their sincerity :"see 2 Cor.
viii. 8. " I speak to prove the sincerity of your love."
3. Christ teaches, that Judgment will be past at the great
day according to men's works in this respect. This is taught
us by Christ in the most particular account of the proceedings
of that day, that we have in the whole Bible ; see Matt. xxv.
34, &c. It is evident that Christ thus represented the proceed-
ings and determinations of this great day, as turning upon this
one point, on purpose, and on design to lead us into this notion,
and to fix it in us, that a charitable spirit and practice to-
wards our brethren is necessary to salvation.
V. Consider what abundant encouragement the word of
God gives, that you shall be no losers by your charity and
bounty to them who are in want. As there is scarce any duty
prescribed in the word of God, which is so much insisted on
as this, so there is scarce any to which there are so many
promises of reward made. This virtue especially hath the
promises of this life and that which is to come. If we believe
the scriptures, when a man charitably gives to his neighbour in
want, the giver has the greatest advantage by it, even greater
than the receiver; Acts xx. 35. "I have shov/ed you all
things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak,
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said.
It is more blessed to give than to receive." He that gives
bountifully is a happier man that he that receives bountifully;
Prov. xiv. 21. " He that hath mercy on the poor, happy
is he."
Many persons are ready to look upon what is bestowed
for charitable uses as lost. But we ought not to look upon it
as lost, because it benefits those whom v/c ought to love as
ourselves. And not only so, but it is not lost to ks, if we give
any credit to the scriptures. See the advice that Solomon gives
in Eccl. xi. 1. "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt
find it after many days." By casting our bread upon the
waters, Solomon means giving it to the poor, as appears by the
next words, " Give a portion to seven and also to eight.'*
Waters are sometimes put for people and multitudes.
What strange advice would this seem to many, to cast their
bread upon the waters, which would seem to them like throw-
ing it away ! What more direct method to lose our bread,
than to go and throw it into the sea. But the wise man tells
us, No, it is not lost ; you shall find it again after many daj's.
It is not sunk, but you commit it to providence; you commit
it to the winds and waves : however it will come about to you
and you shall find it again after many days. Though it should
be many days first, yet you shall find it at last, at a time when
you most need it. He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the
548 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
Lord : and God is not one of those who will not pay again
what is lent to him. If you lend any thing to God, you commit
it into faithful hands. Prov. xix. 17. " He that hath pity on the
poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will
Se pay him again." God will not only pay you again, but he
will pay you with great increase; Luke vi. 38. "Give, and it
shall be given unto you ; that is, in good measure, pressed
down, and shaken together, and running over."
Men do not account that lost, that is let out to use ; but
what is bestowed in charity is lent to the Lord, and he repays
with great increase. Isa. xxxii. 8. "The liberal deviseth liberal
things, and by liberal things shall he stand." Here I would
particularly observe,
1. That if you give with a spirit of true charity, you shall
be rewarded in what is infinitely more valuable than what you
give; even eternal riches in heaven. Matt. x. 42. "Whoso-
ever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of
cold water only, in the name of a disciple ; verily I say unto
YQu, he shall in nowise lose his reward."
Giving to our needy brethren, is in scripture called laying
up treasure in heaven, in bags that wax not old; Luke xii. 33.
" Sell what ye have and give alms, provide for yourselves bags
that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not,
where no thief approachethj nor moth corrupteth." Men,
when they have laid up their money in their chests, do not sup-
pose that they have thrown it away ; but on the contrary, that
it is laid up safe. Much less is treasure thrown away when it
is laid up in heaven. What is laid up there is much safer than
what is laid up in chests or cabinets.
You cannot lay up treasure on earth, but that it is liable
to be stolen, or otherwise to fail. But there no thief approach-
eth, nor moth corrupteth. It is committed to God's care, and
he will keep it safely for you ; and when you die, you shall re-
ceive it with infinite increase. Instead of a part of your earthly
substance thus bestowed, you shall receive heavenly riches, on
which you may live in the greatest fulness, honour, and happi-
ness, to all eternity ; and shall never be in want of any thing.
After feeding with some of your bread those who cannot recom-
pense you, you shall be rewarded at the resurrection, and eat
bread in the kingdom of God. Luke xiv. 13 — 16. "When thou
makest a feast call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the
blind ; and thou shalt be blessed : for they cannot recompense
thee : for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the
just. And when one of them that sat at meat with him, heard
these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread
in the kingdom of God."
2. If you give to the needy, though but in the exercise of
moral virtue, you will be in the way greatly to gain by it in your
SER. XVII. An Exhortation to Charity. 549
temporal interest. Tliey who give in the exercise of a gracious
charity, are in the way to be gainers both here and hereafter ;
and those that give in the exercise of a moral bounty and hbe-
raUty, have many temporal promises made to them. We learn
by the word of God, that the> are in the way to be prospered
in their outward aflfairs. Ordinarily such do not lose by it, but
such a blessing attends their concerns, that they are paid doubly
for it : Prov. xi. 24, 25. "There is that scattereth, and j'et in-
creaseth ; there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat ; and
he that watereth, shall be watered also himself." And Prov.
xxviii. 27. '" He that giveth to the poor shall not lack."
When men give to the needy, they do as it were sow seed
for a crop. When men sow their seed, they seem to throw it
away; yet they do not look upon it as thrown away ; because,
though they expect not the same again, yet they expect much
more as the fruit of it; and if it be not certain that they shall
have a crop, yet they are willing to run the venture of it ; for
that is the ordinary way wherein men obtain increase. So it is
when persons give to the poor ; though the promises of gaining
thereby, in our outward circumstances, perhaps are not abso-
lute : yet it is as much the ordinary consequence of it, as increase
is of sowing seed. Giving to the poor, is iti this respect com-
pared to sowing seed, in Eccl. xi. 6. "In the morning sow thy
seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand : for thou
knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whe^
ther they both shall be alike good." By withholding the hand
the wise man means, not giving to the poor, (see ver. 1 , 2.) It
intimates, that giving to the poor is as likely a way to obtain
prosperity and increase, as sowing seed in a field.
The husbandman doth not look upon his seed as lost, but
is glad that he has an opportunity to sow it. It grieves him not
that he has land to be sown, but he rejoices in it. For the like
reason we should not be grieved that we find needy people to
bestow our charity upon ; for this is as much an opportunity to
obtain increase as the other.
Some may think this is strange doctrine ; and it is to be
feared, that not many will so far believe it as to give to the poor
with as much cheerfulness as they sow their ground. However,
it is the very doctrine of the word of God, 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7, 8.
" But this I say. He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also
sparingly ; and he which soweth bountifiilly, shall reap also
bountifully. Every man according as he purpo^eth in his
heart so let him give ; not grudgingly, or of necessity ; for God
loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace
abound towards you ; that ye always having all-sufficiency in
all things, may abound to every good work."
^50 PRACTICAL SERMONSc
It is easy with God to make up to men what they give in
charity. Many but Httle consider how their prosperity or ill
success in their outward affairs depends upon Providence.
Ttiere are a thousand turns of Providence to which their affairs
are liable, whereby God may either add to their outward sub-
stance or diminish from it, a great deal more than ihey are or-
dinarily called to give to their neighbours. How easy is it with
God to diminish what they possess by sickness in their families,
hy drought, or frost, or mildew, or vermin ; by unfortunate
accidents, by entanglements in their affairs, or disappointments
in their business ! And how easy is it with God to increase
their substance, by suitable seasons, or by health and strength ;
hy giving them fair opportunities for promoting their interest in
their dealings with men ; by conducting them in his providence,
so that they attain their designs ; and by innumerable other ways
which might be mentioned ! How often is it, that only one act
of Providence in a man's affairs either adds to his estate, or di-
minishes from it, more than he would need to give to the poor
in a whole year.
God hath told us, that this is the way to have his blessing
attending our affairs. Thus, in the text, ver. 10. " Thou shalt
surely give him, and thine heart shalt not be grieved, when thou
givest unto him ; because that for this thing the Lord thy God
shall bless thee in all thy works, and in ail-that thou puttest
thine hand unto ;" and Prov. xxii. 9. " He that hath a bounti-
ful eye, shall be blessed." It is a remarkable evidence how
little many men realize the things of religion, whatever they pre-
tend ; how little they realize that the scripture is the word of
God, or if it be, that he speaks true ; that notwithstanding all
the promises made in the scripture to bounty to the poor, yet
they are so backward to this duty, and are so afraid to trust
God with a little of their estates. Observation may confirm the
same thing which the word of God teaches on this head. God,
in his providence, generally smiles upon and prospers those
men who are of a liberal, charitable, bountiful spirit.
6. God hath threatened to follow with his curse those who
arc uncharitable to the poor; as Prov. xxviii. 27. " He that
giveth to the poor shall not lack ; but he that hideth his eyes,
shall have many a curse." It is said, he that hideth his eyes,
because this is the way of uncharitable men ; they hide their
eyes from seeing the wants of their neighbour. A charitable
person, whose heart disposes him to bounty and liberality, will
be quick-sighted to discern the needs of others. They will not
be at any difficulty to find out who is in want ; they will see ob-
jects enough of their charity, let them go whither they will.
But on the contrary, he that is of a niggardly spirit, so that
it goes against the grain to give any thing, he will be always at
a loss for objects of his charitv. Such men excuse themselves
SER. XVII. An Exhortation to Charity. o5l
with this, that they find not any one to give to. They hide their
eyes and will not see their neighbour's wants. If a particular
object is presented, they will not very readily see his circum-
stances ; they are a lon^ while in being convirjced that he is an
object of charity. They hide their eyes ; and it is not an easy
thing to make them sensible of the necessities and distresses of
their neighbour, or at least to convince them, that his necessities
are such that they ought to give him any great matter.
Other men, who are of a bountiful spirit, can very easily
see the objects of charily ; but the uncharitable are very unapt
both to see the proper objects of charity, and to see their obli-
gations to this duty. The reason is, that they are of that sort
spoken of here by the wise man, they hide their eyes. Men will
readily see, where they are willing to see; but where they hate
to see, they will hide their eyes.
God says, such as hides his eyes in this case shall have
many a curse. Such an one is in the way to be cursed in sou!
and body, in both his spiritual and temporal atfairs. We have
shown already, how those that are charitable to the poor are in
the way of being blessed. There are so many promises of the
divine blessing, that we may look upon it as much (he way to
be blessed in our outward concerns, as sowing seed in a field is
the way to have increase. And to be close and uncharitable, is
as much the way to be followed with a curse, as to be chari-
table, is the way to be followed with a blessing. To withhold
more than is meet, tends as much to poverty as scattering tends
to increase, Prov. xi. 24. Therefore, if you withhold more
than is meet, you cross your. own disposition, and will frustrate
your own end. What you seek by withholding from your neigh-
bour, is your own temporal interest and outward estate ; but if
you believe the scriptures to be the word of God, you must be-
lieve that you cannot take a more direct course to lose, to be
crossed and cursed in your temporal interest, than this of with-
holding from your indigent neighbour.
7. Consider, that you know not what calamitous and ne-
cessitous circumstances you yourselves or your children may be
in. Perhaps you are ready to bless yourselves in your hearts,
as though there were no danger of your being brought into ca-
lamitous and distressing circumstances. There is at present
no prospect of it; and you hope you shall be able to provide
well for your children. But you little consider what a shift-
ing, changing, uncertain world you live in, and how often it
hath so happened, that men have been reduced from the
greatest prosperity to the greatest adversity, and how often the
children of the rich have been reduced to pinching want.
Agreeable to this is the advice that the wise man gives us,
Eccles. xi. 1, 2. "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou
shalt find it after many day?. Give a portion to seven, and
562 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
also to eight ; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon
earth." Thou knowest not what calamitous circumstances
thou mayest be in thyself, in this changeable uncertain
world. You know not what circumstances you or your
children ma) be brought into by captivity, or other unthought-
of providences. Providence governs all things. Perhaps you
may trust to your own wisdom to continue your prosperity t
but you cannot alter what God determines and orders in pro-
vidence, as in the words immediately following the foremen-
tioned text in Ecclesiastes ; " If the clouds be full of rain, thej
empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall towards
the south, or toward:^ the north ; in the place where the tree
falleth, there it shall be ;" i. e. you cannot alter the determina-
tions of Providence. You may trust to your own wisdom for
future prosperity ; but if God have ordained adversity, it shall
come as the clouds when full of rain, empty themselves upon the
earth ; so what is in the womb of Providence shall surely come
to pass. And as Providence casts the tree, whether towards
the south, or towards the north, whether for prosperity or ad-
versity, there it shall be, for all that you can do to alter it;
agreeably to what the wise man observes in chap. vii. 13*
" Consider the work of God : for who can make that straight
which he hath made crooked ?"
This consideration, that you know not what calamity and
necessity you may be in yourselves, or your children, tends
very powerfully to enforce this duty several ways.
1. This may put you upon considering how your hearts
would be affected, if it should so be. If it should happen,
that you or some of your children should be brought into such
circumstances, as those of your neighbours, how grievous
would it be to you ! Now perhaps you say of this and the
other poor neighbour, that they can do well enough : if they
be pinched a little, they can live. Thus you can make light of
their difficulties. But if Providence should so order it, that you
or your children should be brought into the same circumstances,
would you make light of them then ? Would you not use
another sort of language about it ? Would you not think that
your case was such as needed the kindness of your neighbours ?
Would you not think that they ought to be ready to help you '/
And would you not take it hardly, if you saw a contrary spirit
in them, and saw that they made light of your difficulties ?
If one of your children should be brought to poverty by
captivity,* or otherwise, how would your hearts be affected in
*The author repeatedly brings in this id<»a, doubtless because Northampton,
the place where the author lived, was at that time a frontier-town, and suffered
much by the incursions of the Indians from Canada, who slaughtered and capti-
vated the people, as they found opportunity.
SER. XVII. An Exhortation to Charily. 553
such a case ? If you should hear that some persons had taken
pity on your child, and had been very bountiful to it, would you
not think that they did well? Would you be at all apt to ac-
cuse them of folly or profuseness, that they should give so much
to it?
2. If ever there should be such a time, your kindness to
others now will be but a laying up against such a time. If you
yourselves should be brought into calamity and necessity, then
would you find what you have given in charity to others, lying
ready in store for you. Cast thy bread upon the waters, and
thou shalt find it after many days, says the wise man. But when
shall we find it ? He tells us in the next verse ; " Give a portion
to seven, and also to eight ; for thou kiiowest not what evil shall
be upon the earth." Then is the time when you shall find it,
when the day of evil cometh. You shall again find your bread
which you have cast upon the waters, when you shall want it
most, and stand in greatest necessity of it. God will keep it
for you against such a time. When other bread shall fail, then
God will bring to you the bread which you formerly cast upon
the waters ; so that you shall not famish. He that giveth to the
poor shall not lack.
Giving to the needy is like laying up against winter, or
against a time of calamity. It is the best way of laying up for
yourselves and for your children. Children in a time of need
very often find their father's bread, that bread which their fathers
had cast upon the waters. Psal. xxxviii. 25. " I have been
young and novr am old, yet have I not seen the righteous for-
saken, nor his seed begging bread." Why ? what is the reason
of it? It follows in the next verse, "He is ever merciful and
lendeth, and his seed is blessed."
Whether the time will ever come or not, that we or our
children shall be in distressing want of bread ; yet doubtless evil
will be on the earth. We shall have our times of calamity,
wherein we shall stand in great need of God's pity and help, if
not of that of our fellow-creatures. And God hath promised
that at such a time, he that hath been of a charitable spirit and
practice, shall find help, Psalm xli. 1 — 4. " Blessed is he that
considereth the poor ; the Lord will deliver him in time of
trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and
he shall be blessed upon the earth ; and thou wilt not deliver him
into the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him
upon the bed of languishing : thou wilt make all his bed in his
sickness." Such as have been merciful and liberal to others in
their distress, God will not forget, but will so order it, that they
shall have help when they are in distress. Yea, their children
shall reap the fruit of it in the day of trouble.
3. God hath threatened uncharitable persons, that if ever
they come to be in calamitv and distress, thev shall be left help-
VoL. VI. * 70
554 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
less ; Prov. xxi. 3. '• Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the
poor, he shall cry himself and not be heard."
SECT. IV.
Objections which are sometime.^ made to the Exercise of Charity^
anszoered.
I proceed now to answer some Objections, which are
sometimes made against this duty.
Object. I. I am in a natural condition, and if I should
give to the poor, I should not do it with a right spirit, and so
should get nothing by it. — To this I answer :
1. We have shown already that a temporal blessing is pro-
mised to a moral bounty and liberality. This is the way to be
prospered; this is the way to increase. We find in scripture
many promises of temporal blessings to moral virtues ; as to di-
ligence in our business, to justice in our dealings, to faithfulness,
to temperance. So there are many blessings promised to bounty
and liberality.
2. You may as well make the same objection against any
other duty of religion. You may as well object against keeping
the sabbath, against prayer or public worship, or against doing
anything at all in religion : for while in a natural condition, you
do not any of these duties with a right spirit. If you say, you
do these duties because God hath commanded or required them
of you, and you shall sin greatly if you neglect them ; you shall
increase your guilt ; and so expose yourselves to the greater
damnation and punishment. The same may be said of the ne-
glect of this duty ; the neglect of it is as provoking to God.
If you say that you read, and pray, and attend public wor-
ship, because that is the appointed way for you to seek salvation ;
so is bounty to the poor, as much as those. — The appointed way
for us to seek the favour of God and eternal life, is the way of
the performance of all known duties, of which giving to the poor
is one as much known, and as necessary, as reading the scrip-
tures, praying, or any other. Showing mercy to the poor does
as much belong to the appointed way of seeking salvation, as
any other duty whatever. Therefore this is the way in which
Daniel directed Nebuchadnezzar to seek mercy, in Dan. iv. 27.
" Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and
break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shozc-
ing mercy to the poor.''''
Object. II. If I be liberal and bountiful, I shall only make a
righteousness of it, and so it will do me more hurt than good.
To this I sav.
sER. xvii. Objections to Charity^ anaioe.rcd. . ood
I. The same answer may be made to this, as to the former
objection, viz. That you may as well make the same objection
against doing any religious or moral duty at all. If this be a
sufficient objection against deeds of charity, then it is a sufficient
objection to prayer ; for nothing is more common than for per-
sons to make a righteousness of their prayers. So it is a good
objection against your keeping the sabbath, or attending any
public worship, or ever reading in the Bible; for of all these
things you are in danger of making a righteousness. — Yea, if the
objection be good against deeds of charity, then it is as good
against acts of justice ; and you may neglect to speak the truth,
may neglect to pay your debts, may neglect acts of common
Iiumanity ; for of all those things you are in danger of making a
righteousness. So that if your objection be good, you may throw
up all religion, and live like heathens or atheists, and may be
thieves, robbers, fornicators, adulterers, murderers, and commit
all the sins that you can think of, lest if you should do otherwise,
you should make a righteousness of your conduct.
2. Your objection carries it thus, that it is not best lor you
to do as God commands and counsels you to do. We find many
commands in scripture to be charitable to the poor : the Bible
is full of them, and you are not excepted from those commands.
God makes no exception of any particular kinds of persons
that are especially in danger of making a righteousness of what
they do ; and God often directs and counsels persons to this duty.
Now will you presume to say that God has not directed you to
the best way ? He has advised you to do thus ; but you think it
not best for you, but that it would do you more hurt than good,
if you should do it. You think there is other counsel better than
God's, and that it is the best way for you to go contrary to God's
command.
Object. III. I have in times past given to the poor, but
never found myself the better for it. I have heard ministers
preach, that giving to the poor was the way io prosper; but I
perceive not that I am more prosperous than I was before. —
Yea, I have met with many misfortunes, crosses, and disap-
pointments in my affairs since. And it may be that some will
say, That very year, or soon after the very time I had been
giving to the poor, hoping to be blessed for it, I met with great
losses, and things went hardly with me ; and therefore I do not
find what I hear preached about giving to the poor, as being
the way to be blessed and prosperous, agreeable to my ex-
perience.
To this objection 1 shall answer several things :
I. Perhaps you looked out for the fulfilment of the promise
too soon, before you had fulfilled the condition ; as particularly,
perhaps you have been so sparing and grudging in your kind-
,)iib 4 FRA<; 'iCAl. SKRMONS.
ness to the poor, that what you have done has been rather a
discovery of a covetous, niggardly spirit, than of any bounty or
liberality. The promises are not made to every man who
gives any thing at all to the poor, let it be ever so little and
after what manner soever given. You mistook the j)romises,
if you understood them so. A man may give something to the
poor, and yet be entitled to no promise, either temporal or
spiritual. The promises are made to mercn and liberality.
But a man may give something, and yet be so niggardly and
grudging in it, that what he gives may be as the apostle calls
it a matter of covetonsness. What he does may be more a
manifestation of his covetonsness and closenes^s, than any thing
else. But there are no promises made to men-s expressing
their covetousness.
Perhaps what you gave was not freely given, but as it
were of necessity. It was grudgingly; your hearts were
grieved when you gave. And if you gave once or twice what
was considerable, yet that doth not answer the rule. It may
be for all that, that in the general course of your lives you have
been far from being kind and liberal to your neighbours.
Perhaps you thought that because you once or twice gave a
few shillings to the poor, that then you stood entitled to
the promises of being blessed in all your concerns, and of in-
creasing and being established by liberal things; though in
the general you have lived in a faulty neglect of the duty of
charity. You raise objections from experience, before you
have made trial. To give once, or twice, or thrice, is not to
make trial, though you give considerably. You cannot make
any trial, unless you become a liberal person, or unless you
become such that you may he truly said to be of a liberal and
bountiful practice. Let one who is truly such, and has been
such in the general course of his life, tell what he hath found
by experience.
2. If you have been liberal to the poor, and have met with
calamities since, yet how can you tell how much greater cala-
mities and losses you might have met with, if you had been
otherwise? You say you have met with crosses, and disap-
pointments, and frown=. If you expected to meet with no trou-
ble in the world, because you gave to the poor, you mistook
the matter. Though there be many and great promises made
to the liberal, yet God hath no where promised, that they shall
not find this world a world of trouble. It will be so to all.
Man is born to sorrow, and must expect no other than to meet
with sorrow here. But how can you tell how much greater
sorrow you would have met with, if you had been close and
unmerciful to the poor? How can you tell how much greater
losses you would have met with ? How much more vexation
aad trouble would have followed you ? Have none ever met
with greater frowns in their outward affairs, than you have ?
SER. XV ri. Objections to Charity, answered. do?
3. How can you tell what blessings God hath yet in reserve
tor you, if you do but continue in well-doing ? Although God
hath promised great blessings to liberality to the poor, yet he
hath not limited himself as to the time of the bestow ment. If
you have not yet seen any evident fruit of your kindness to the
poor, yet the time may come when you shall see it remarkably,
and that at a time when you most stand in need of it. You
cast your bread upon the waters, and looked for it, and expect-
ed to find it again presently. And sometimes it is so ; but this
is not promised : it is promised, " Thou shalt find it again
after many days.'''' God knows how to choose a time for you,
better than you yourselves. You should therefore wait his
time. If you go on in well-doing, God may bring it to you
when you stand most in need.
It may be that there is some winter coming, some day of
trouble ; and God keeps your bread for you against that time;
and then God will give you good measure, and pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over. We must trust in
God's word for the bestowment of the promised reward, whe-
ther we can see in what manner it is done or no. Pertinent
to the present purpose are those words of the wise man in
Eccles. xi. 4. "He that observeth the wind shall not sow ;
and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." In this context
the wise man is speaking of charity to the poor, and com-
paring it to sowing seed : and advises us to trust Providence
for success in that, as we do in sowing seed. He that regard-
eth the winds and clouds, to prognosticate thence prosperity to
seed, and will not trust Providence with it, is not like to sow,
nor to have bread-corn. So he that will not trust Providence
for the reward of his charity to the poor, js like to go without
the blessing. After the words now quoted, follows his advice
ver. 6. " In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening
withhold not thine hand ; for thou knowest not whether shall
prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike
good." — Therefore. (Gal. vi.9) '' Let us not be weary in well-
doing ; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." You
think you have not reaped yet. Whether you have or not, go
on still in giving and doing good ; and if you do so, you shall
reap in due time. God only knows the due time, the best time
for you to reap.
Object. IV. Some may object against charity to such or
such particular persons, that they are not obliged to give them
any thing ; for though they be needy, yet they are not in
extremity, it is true they meet with difficult), yet not so
but that they can live, though they suffer some hardships. —
But,
h5B JfKAClli.AL ^KKMONS.
It doth not answer the rules of Christian charity, to rehevc
those only who are reduced to extremity, as might be abun-
dantly shown. I shall at this time mention but two things as
evidences of it.
1. We are commanded to love and treat one another as
brethren: 1 Pet. iii. 8. ''Have compassion one of another ;
love as brethren ; be pitiful." Now, is it the part of brethren
to refuse to help one another, and to do any thing for each
other's comfort, and for the relief of each other's difficulties,
only when they are in extremity ? Doth it not become brothers
and sisters to have a more friendly disposition one towards
another, than this comes to ? and to be ready to compassionate
one another under difficulties, though they be not extreme ?
The rule of the gospel is, that when we see our brother
under any difficulty or burden, we should be ready to bear the
burden with him: Gal. vi. 2. "Bear ye one another's bur-
dens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." So we are commanded,
bi/ love to serve one another, Gal. v. 13. The Christian spirit
will make us apt to sympathize with our neighbour, when we
see him under any difficulty: Rom. xii. 15. "Rejoice with
them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." When
our neighbour is in difficulty, he is afflicted ; and we ought to
have such a spirit of love to him, as to be afflicted with him in
his affliction. And if we ought to be afflicted with him, then
it will follow, that we ought to be ready to relieve him ; be-
cause, if we are afflicted with him, in relieving him we relieve
ourselves. His relief is so far our own relief, as his affliclion
is our affliction. Christianity teaches us to be afflicted in our
neighbour's affliction ; and nature teaches us to relieve our-
selves when afflicted.
We should behave ourselves one towards another as
brethren that are fellow-travellers ; for we are pilgrims and
strangers here on earth, and are on a journey. Now, if
brethren be on a journey together, and one meet with difficulty
in the way, doth it not become the rest to help him, not only
in the extremity of broken bones, or the like, but as to pro-
vision for the journey, if his own fall short? It becomes his
fellow-travellers to afford him a supply out of their stores, and
not to be over-nice, exact, and fearful lest they give him too
much; for it is but provision for a journey ; and all are sup-
plied when they get to their journey's end.
2. That we should relieve our neighbour only when in
extremity, is not agreeable to the rule of loving our neighbour
as ourselves. That rule implies that our love towards our
neighbour should work in the same manner, and express itself
in the same ways, as our love towards ourselves. We are very
sensible of our own difficulties ; we should also be readily
sensible of theirs. From love to ourselves, when we are under
SER. XVII, Objections to Charity ansxoered. 5o9
difficulties, and suffer hardships, we are concerned for our
relief, are wont to seek relief, and lay ourselves out for it. —
and as we would love our neighbour as ourselves, we ought
in like manner to be concerned when our neighbour is under
difficulty, and to seek his relief. We are wont to be much
concerned about our own difficulties, though we be not reduced
to extremity, and are willing in those cases to lay ourselves out
for our own relief. So, as we would love our neighbour as
ourselves, we should in like manner lay out ourselves to obtain
relief for him, though his difficulties be not extreme.
Object. V. Some may object against charity to a par-
ticular object, because he is an ill sort of person ; he deserves
not that people should be kind to him ; he is of a very ill tem-
per, of an ungrateful spirit, and particularly, because he hath
not deserved well of them^ but has treated them ill, has been
injurious to them, and even now entertains an ill spirit against
them.
But we are obliged to relieve persons in want, notwith-
standing these things ; both by the general and particular rules
of God's word.
1. We are obliged to do so by the general rules of scrip-
ture. I shall mention two.
(1.) That of loving our neighbour as ourselves. A man
may be our neighbour, though he be an ill sort of man, and
even our enemy, as Christ himself teaches us by his discourse
with the lawyer, Luke x. 25, &:c. A certain lawyer came to
Christ, and asked him. What he should do to inherit eternal
life? Christ asked him. How it was written in the law? He
answers, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and
with all thy mind ; and thy neighbour as thyself." Christ tells
him that if he shall do thus, he shall live. But then the law-
yer asks him, who is his neighbour? because it was a received
doctrine among the Pharisees, that no man was their neighbour,
but their friends, and those of the same people and religion. —
Christ answers him by a parable, or story of a certain man,
who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among
thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him,
and departed from him, leaving him half dead. Soon after
there came a priest that way, who saw the poor man that had
been thus cruelly treated by the thieves ; but passed by without
affording him any relief. The same was done by a Levite. —
But a certain Samaritan coming that way, as soon as he saw the
half-dead man, had compassion on him, took him up, bound up
his wounds, set him on his own beast, carried him to the inn,
and took care of him, paying the innkeeper money for his past
and future expense ; and promising him still more, if he should
tind it necessarv (o be at jnore expense oi^ behalf of the man-
560 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
Then Christ asks the lawyer, which of these three, the
priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan, was neighbour to the man
that fell amon^^ the thieves. Ctirist proposed this in such a
manner, that the lawyer could not help owning that the Sama-
ritan did well in relieving the Jew, that he did the duty of a
neighbour to him. Now, there was an inveterate enmity
between the Jews and the Samaritans. They hated one another
more than any other nation in the world : and the Samaritans
were a people exceedingly troublesome to the Jews ; yet we
see that Christ teaches, that the Jews ought to do the part of
neighbours to the Samaritans ; i. e. to love them as themselves ;
for it was that of which Christ was speaking.
And the consequence was plain. If the Samaritan was
neighbour to the distressed Jew, then the Jews, by a parity of
reason, were neighbours to the Samaritans. If the Samaritan
did well, in relieving a Jew that was his enemy ; then the Jews
would do well in relieving the Samaritans, their enemies. —
What I particularly observe is, that Christ here plainly teaches
that our enemies, those that abuse and injure us, are our neigh-
bours, and therefore come under the rule of loving our neigh-
bour as ourselves.
(2.) Another general rule that obliges us to the same thing,
is that wherein we are commanded to love one another, as
Christ hath loved us. We have it in John xiii. 34. " A new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another ; as I
have loved you, that ye also love one another." Christ calls it
a new commandment, with respect to that old commandment of
loving our neighbour as ourselves. This command of loving
our neighbour as Christ hath loved us, opens our duty to us in
a new manner, and in a further degree than that did. We must
not only love our neighbour as ourselves, but as Christ hath
loved us. We have the same again, John xv. 12. " This
is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved
you."
Now, the meaning of this is, not that we should love one
another to the same degree that Christ loved us ; though there
ought to be a proportion, considering our nature and capacity;
but that we should exercise our love one to another in like
manner. As, for instance, Christ hath loved us so as to be
willing to deny himself, and to suffer greatly, in order to help
us ; so should we be willing to deny ourselves, in order to
help one another. Christ loved us, and showed us great kind-
ness, though we were far below him : so should we show kind-
ness to those of our fellow-men who are far below us. Christ
denied himself to helj) us, though we are not able to recompense
him; so should we be willing to lay out ourselves to help our
neighbour freely, expecting nothing again. Christ loved us,
was kind to us, and was willing to relieve us, though we were
SER. XVII. Objections to Charily^ answered. oQ\
very evil and hateful, of an evil disposition, not deserving any
good, but deserving only to be hated, and treated with indig-
nation ; so we should be willing to be kind to those who are of
an ill disposition, and are very undeserving. Christ loved us,
and laid himself out to reheve us, though we were his enemies,
and had treated him ill; so we, as we would love one another
as Christ hath loved us, should relieve those who are our
enemies, hate us, have an ill spirit towards us. and have treated
us ill.
2. We are obliged to this duty by many particular rules.
We are particularly required to be kind to the unthankful and
to the evil ; and therein to follow the example of our heavenly
Father, who causes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. We are obliged,
not only to be kind to them that are so to us, but to them that
hate, and that despitefuUy use us. I need not^mention the par-
ticular places which speak to this effect.
Not but that when persons are virtuous and pious, and of
a grateful disposition, and are friendly disposed towards us, they
are more the objects of our charity for it, and our obligation to
kindness to them is the greater. Yet if things be otherwise,
that doth not render them not fit objects of our charity, nor set
us free from obligation to kindness towards them.
Object. VI. Some may object from their own circumstances,
that they have nothing to spare ; they have not more than
enough for themselves. — I answer,
1. It must doubtless be allowed, that in some cases persons,
by reason of their own circumstances, are not obliged to give to
others. — For instance, if there be a contribution for the poor,
they are not obliged to join in the contribution, who are in as
much need as those are for whom the contribution is made. It
savours of ridiculous vanity in them to contribute with others
for such as are not more needy than they. It savours of a proud
desire to conceal their own circumstances, and an afTectation of
having them accounted above what they in truth are.
2. There are scarcely any who may not make this objec-
tion, as they interpret it. There is no person who may not say,
he has not more than enough for himself, as he may mean by
enough. He may intend, that he has not more than he desires,
or more than he can dispose of to his own advantage ; or not so
much, but that, if he had any thing less, he [should look upon
himself in worse circumstances than he is in now. He will own,
that he could live if he had less ; but then he will say he could
not live so well. Rich men may say, they have not more than
enough for themselves, as they may mean by it. They need it
all, they may say, to support their honour and dignity, as is pro-
per for the place and degree in which they stand. Those who
Vol. VL 71
562 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
are poor, to be sure, will say, they have not too much for them-
selves ; those who are of the middle sort will say, they have not
too much for themselves ; and the rich will say, they have not
too much for themselves. Thus there will be none found to
give to the poor.
3. In many cases, we may, by the rules of the gospel, be
obliged to give to others, when we cannot do it without suffer-
ing ourselves ; as, if our neighbour's difficulties and necessities
be much greater than our own, and we see that he is not like
to be otherwise relieved, we should be willing to suffer with
him, and to take part of his burden on ourselves ; else how is
that rule of bearing one another's burdens fulfilled ? If we be
never obliged to relieve others' burdens, but when we can do it
without burdening ourselves, then how do we bear our neigh-
bour's burdens, when we bear no burden at all ? Though we
may not have a superfluity, yet we may be obliged to afford re-
lief to others who are in much greater necessity ; as appears by
that rule, Luke iii. 11. "He that hath two coats, let him im-
part to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do
likewise." — Yea, they who are very poor may be obliged to
give for the relief of others in much greater distress than they.
If there be no other way of relief, those who have the lightest
burden are obliged still to take some part of their neighbour's
burden, to make it the more supportable. A brother may be
obliged to help a brother in extremity, though they are both
very much in want. The apostle commends the Macedonian
Christians, that they were liberal to their brethren, though they
themselves were in deep poverty : 2 Cor. viii. 1,2. " More-
over, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia : how in a great trial of aflliction,
the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded
unto the riches of their liberality.
4. Those who have not too much for themselves are will-
ing to spare seed to sow, that they may have fruit hereafter.
Perhaps they need that which they scatter in the field, and
seem to throw away- They may need it for bread for their
families ; yet they will spare seed to sow, that they may pro-
vide for the future, and may have increase. But we have al-
ready shown, that giving to the poor is in scripture compared
to sowing seed, and is as much the way to increase as the sow-
ing of seed is. It doth not tend to poverty, but the contrary ;
it is not the way to diminish our substance, but to increase it.
All the difficulty in this matter is in trusting God with what we
give, in trusting his promises. If men could but trust the faith-
fulness of God to his own promises, they would give freely.
Object. VII. Some may object concerning a particular
jperson, that they do not certainly know whether he be an ob-
1
SER. XVII. Objections to Charity, answered. o63
ject of charity or not. They are not perfectly acquainted with
his Circumstances ; neither do they know what sort of man he
is. They know not whether he be in want as he pretends.
Or, if they know this, they know not how he came to be in
want ; whether it were not by his own idleness or prodigahty.
Thus they argue ihat they cannot be obHgcd, till they certainly
know these things. — I reply,
1. This is Nabal's objection, for which he is greatly con-
demned in scripture ; see 1 Sam. xxv, David in his exiled
state came and begged relief of Nabal. Nabal objected, ver.
10, II. ' Who is David ? and who is the son of Jesse? There
be many servants now-a-days, that break away every man from
his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water, and my
flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men,
whom I know not whence they be ?'' His objection was, that
David was a stranger to him ; he did not know who he was, noi
what his circumstances were. He did not know but that he
was a runaway; and he was not obliged to support and harbour
a runaway. He objected, that he knew not that he was a pro-
per object of charity ; that he knew not but that he was very
much the contrary.
But Abigail no way countenanced his behaviour herein,
but greatly condemned it. She calls him a man of Belial, and
says that he was as his name was ; Nabal was his name, and
folly was with him. And her behaviour was very contrary to
his ; and she is greatly commended for it. The Holy Ghost
tells us in that chapter, ver. 3, That she was a woman of a good
tinder standing. At the same time God exceedingly frowned
on Nabal's behaviour on this occasion, as- we are informed
that about ten da}s after God smote Nabal that he died ;
ver. 38.
This story is doubtless told us partly for this end, to dis-
countenance too great a scrupulosity as to the object on whom
we bestow our charity, and the making of this merely an ob-
jection against charity to others, that we do not certainly know
their circumstances. It is true, when we have opportunity
to become certainly acquainted with their circumstances, it is
well to embrace it ; and to be influenced in a measure by pro-
bability in such cases, is not to be condemned. Yet it is bet-
ter to give to several that are not objects of charity, than to
send away empty one that is.
2. We are commanded to be kind to strangers whom we
know not, nor their circumstances. This is commanded in
many places ; but I shall mention only one ; Heb. xiii. 2, " Be
not forgetful to entertain strangers ; for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares." By strangers here the apostle
means one whom we know not, and whose circumstances we
know not ; as is evident by these words, " for thereby some
have enteiUiined angels unawares.*' Those who entertained
angels unawares, did not know the persons whom they enter-
tained, nor their circumstances ; else how could it be unawares?
Object. VIII. Some may say they are not obliged to
give to the poor, till they ask. If any man is in necessity, let
him come and make known his straits to me, and then it will
be time enough for me to give him. Or if he need a public
contribution, let him come and ask. I do not know that the
congregation or church is obliged to relieve till they ask relief.
— I answer,
1. It surely is the most charitable, to relieve the needy in
that way wherein we shall do them the greatest kindness.
Now it is certain that we shall do them a greater kindness by
inquiring into their circumstances, and relieving them, without
putting them upon begging. There is none of us but who,
if it were their case, would look upon it more kind in our
neighbours, to inquire into our circumstances, and help us
of their own accord. To put our neighbours upon begging
in order to relief, is painful. It is more charitable, more bro-
therly, more becoming Christians and the disciples of Jesus,
to do it without. I think this is self evident, and needs no
proof.
2. This is not agreeable to the character of the liberal
man given in scripture, viz, that devises liberal things. Isa.
xxxii. 8. It is not to devise liberal things, if we neglect all
liberality till the poor come a begging to us. But to inquire,
who stand in need of our charity, and to contrive to relieve
them in the way that shall do them the greatest kindness ;
that is to devise liberal things.
3. We should not commend a man for doing so to his
own brother. If a man had an own brother or sister in great
straits, and he were well able to supply them, under the pre-
tence, that if he or she want any thing, let them come and
ask, and I will give them ; we should hardly think such an
one behaved like a brother. Christians are commanded to love
as brethren, to look upon one another as brethren in Christ, and
to treat one another as such.
4. We should commend others for taking a method con-
trary to that which is proposed by the objector. If we should
hear or read of a people who were so charitable, who took
such care of the poor, and were so concerned that none among
them should suffer, who were proper objects of charity ; that
they were wont diligently to inquire into the circumstances of
their neighbours, to tind out who were needy, and liberally
supplied them of their own accord ; I say if we should hear
or read of such a people, would it not appear well to us ?
Should not wc have the better thought of that people, on that
account ?
SER. xviT. Objections to Charity, answered, 565
Object. IX. He has brought himself to want by his own
fault. — In reply, it must be considered what you mean by his
fault.
1. If you mean a want of a natural faculty to manage
affairs to advantage, that is to be considered as his calamity.
Such a faculty is a gift that God bestows on some, and not on
others ; and it is not owing to themselves. You ought to be
thankful that God hath given you such a gift, which he hath
denied to the person in question. And it will be a very suitable
way for you to show your thankfulness, to help those to whom
that gift is denied, and let them share the benefit of it with you.
This is as reasonable as that he to whom Providence has
imparted sight, should be willing to help him to whom sight
is denied ; and that he should have the benefit of the sight of
others, who has none of his own ; or, as that he to whom God
hath given wisdom should be willing that the ignorant should
have the benefit of his knowledge.
2. If they have been reduced to want by some oversight,
and are to be blamed that they did not consider for them-
selves better: yet that doth not free us from all obligation to
charity towards them. If we should for ever refuse to help
men because of that, it would be for us to make their incon-
siderateness and imprudent act, an unpardonable crime, quite
contrary to the rules of the gospel, which msist so much upon
forgiveness. — We should not be disposed so highly to resent
such an oversight in any for whom we have a dear affection, as
our children, or our friends. We should not refuse to help
them in that necessity and distress, which they brought upon
themselves by their own inconsiderateness. But we ought to
have a dear affection and concern for the welfare of all our
fellow Christians, whom we should love as brethren, and as
Christ hath loved us.
3; If they are come to want by a vicious idleness and
prodigality ; yet we are not thereby excused from all obligation
to relieve them, unless they continue in those vices. If they
continue not in those vices, the rules of the gospel direct us to
forgive them ; and if their fault be forgiven, then it will not
remain to be a bar in the way of our charitably relieving them.
If we do otherwise, we shall act in a manner very contrary to
the rule of loving one another as Christ hath loved us. Now
Christ hath loved us, pitied us, and greatly laid out himself to
relieve us from that want and misery which we brought on our-
selves by our own folly and wickedness. We foolishly and
perversely threw away those riches with which we were pro-
vided, upon which we might have lived and been happy to all
eternity.
4. If they continue in the same courses still, yet that doth
not excuse us from charity to their families that are innocent.
066 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
If we cannot relieve those of their families without their having
something of it ; yet that ought not to be a bar in the way of
our charity ; and that because it is supposed that those of their
famihes are proper objects of charity ; and those that are so,
we are hound to reheve : the commarid is positive and absohite.
If we look upon that which the heads of the families have of
what we give, to be entirely lost ; yet we had better lose some-
thing of our estate, than suffer those who are really proper ob-
jects of charity to remain without relief.
Object. X. Some may object and say, Others do not their
duty. If others did their duty, the poor would be sufficiently
supplied. If others did as much as we in [)roportion to their
ability and obligation, the poor would have enough to help them
out of their straits. Or some may say, it belongs to others more
than it does to us. They have relations that ought to help
them ; or there are others to whom it more properly belongs
than to us.
Ans. We ought to relieve those who are in want, though
brought to it through others' fault. If our neighbour be poor,
though others be to blame that it is so, yet that excuses us not
from helping him. If it belong to others more than to us, yet
if those others will neglect their duty, and our neighbour there-
fore remains in want, we may be obliged to relieve him. If a
man be brought into straits through the injustice of others, sup-
pose by thieves or robbers, as the poor Jew whom the Samaritan
relieved ; yet we may be obliged to relieve him, though it be
not through our fault that he is in want, but through that of
other men. And whether that fault be a commission or a
neglect alters not the case.
As to the poor Jew that fell among thieves between
Jerusalem and Jericho, it more properly belonged to those
thieves who brought him into that distress, to relieve him, than
to any other person. Yet seeing they would not do it, others
were not excused ; and the Samaritan did no more than his
duty, relieving him as he did, though it properly belonged to
others. — Thus if a man have children or other relations, to
whom it most properly belongs to relieve him ; yet if they will
not do it, the obligation to relieve him falls upon others. So
for the same reason we should do the more for the relief of the
poor, because others neglect to do their proportion, or what
belongs to them ; and that because by the neglect of others to
do their proportion they need the more, their necessity is the
greater.
Object. XI. The law makes provision for the poor and
obliges the respective towns in which they live to provide for
SER. XVII. Objections to Charity, answered, 567
them ; therefore some argue, that there is no occasion for par-
ticular persons to exercise any charity this way. Thev say,
the case is not the same with us n. w, as it was in (he prmuiive
church; for then Christians were under an Heathen govern-
ment : and however the charity of Christians in those times be
much to be commended ; yet now, by reason of our dilFerent
circumstances, there is no occasion for private charity ; because,
in the state in which Christians now are, provision is made for
the poor otherwise. — This objection is built upon these two
suppositions, both which I suppose are false.
1. That the towns are obliged by law to relieve every one
who otherwise would be an object of charity. This I suppose
to be false, unless it be supposed that none are proper objeots
of charity, but those that have no estate left to live upon, which
is very unreasonable, and what 1 have already shown to be false,
in answer to the fourth objection, in showing that it doth not
answer the rules of Christian charity, to relieve only those who
are reduced to extremity.
Nor do I suppose it was ever the design of the law, re-
quiring the various towns to support their own poor, to cut off
all occasion for Christian charity : nor is it fit there should be
such a law. It is fit that the law should make provision for
those that have no estates of their own ; it is not fit that persons
who are reduced to that extremity should be left to so pre-
carious a source of supply as a voluntary charity. The> are
in extreme necessity of relief, and therefore it is fit that there
should be something sure for them to depend on. But a
voluntary charity in this corrupt world is an uncertain thing.
Therefore the wisdom of the legislature did not think fit to
leave those who are so reduced, upon such a precarious founda-
tion for subsistence. But I suppose not that it was ever the
design of the law to make such provision for all that are in
want, as to leave no room for Christian charity.
2. This objection is built upon another supposition, which
is equally false, viz. That there are in fact none who are proper
objects of charity, but those that are relieved by the town. Let
the design of the law be what it will, yet if there are in fact
persons who are so in want, as to stand in need of our charity,
then that law doth not free us from obligation to relieve them
by our charity. For as we have just now shown, in answer to
the last objection, if it more properly belong to others to
relieve them than us ; yet if they do it not. we are not free. So
that if it be true, that it belongs to the town to relieve all who
are proper objects of charity ; yet if the town in fact do it not,
we are not excused.
If one of our neighbours suffers through the fault of a
particular person, of a thief or robber, or of a town, it
368 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
alters not the case : but if he suffer and be without relief, it is
an act of Christian charity in us to relieve him. Now it is too
obvious to be denied, that there are in fact persons so in want,
that it would be a charitable act in us to help them, notwith-
standing all that is done by the town. A man must hide his
mental eyes, to think otherwise.
SERMON XVIII.
THE NATURE AND END OF EXCOMMUNICATION.
1 Con. v: 11.
But now I have wrlllen unto you, not to keep compani/, if ami
man that is called a brother he a fornicator, or covetous^ or
an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner ;
xoith such an one, no not to eat.
The apostle reproves the church at Corinth for not excom-
municating an offending person ; and directs them speedily to
cast him out from among them ; thus delivering him to Satan. He
orders them to purge out such scandalous persons, as the Jews
were wont to purge leaven out of their houses when they kept
the passover. In the text and two foregoing verses, he more
particularly explains their duty with respect to such vicious
persons, and enjoins it on them not to keep company with such.
But then shows the difference they ought to observe in their
carriage towards those who were vicious among the heathen
who had never joined with the church, and towards those of the
same vicious character who had been their professed brethren •
see ver. 9 — 12, " I wrote unto you not to company with for-
nicators. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world
or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for then
must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written
unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a bro-
ther be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or
a drunkard, or an extortioner ; with such an one, no not to eat."
In the words of the text we may observe,
1. The duty enjoined ; including the behaviour required,
negatively expressed, not to keep company ^ and the manner or
degree, no not to eat,
2. The object ; a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or
a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. We are not to
understand merely these particular vices, but also any other
gross sins, or visible wickedness. It is evident, that the
Vol, VI, 72 • ' '
570 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
apostle here, and in the context, intends that we should ex-
clude out of our company all those who are visibly wicked
men. For in the foregoing verses he expresses his meaning
by this, that we should purge out the old leaven ; and ex-
plaining what he means by leaven, he includes all visible
wickedness ; as in ver. 8. " Therefore let us keep the feast, not
with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Another thing by which the object of this behaviour or
dealing is characterized is, that he be one that is called a
brothel', or one that hath been a professed Christian, and a mem-
ber of the church.
Doctrine. Those members of the visible Christian church
who are become visibly wicked, ought not to be tolerated in the
church, but should be excommunicated.
In handling this subject, I shall speak, (1.) Of the nature
of excommunication ; (2.) Of the subject ; and (3.) Of the ends
of it.
I. I shall say something of the nature of excommunication.
it is a punishment executed in the name and according to the will
of Christ, whereby a person who hath heretofore enjoyed the
privileges of a member of the visible church of Christ, is cast
out of the church and delivered unto Satan. It is a punishment
inflicted ; it is expressly called a punishment by the apostle, in
2 Cor. ii. 6. Speaking of the excommunicated Corinthian, he
says, " Sufficient to such a man is this punishment." For
though it be not designed by man for the destruction of the per-
son, but for his correction, and so is of the nature of a castigatory
punishment, at least so far as it is inflicted by men ; yet it is in
itself a great and dreadful calamity, and the most severe punish-
ment that Christ hath appointed in the visible church. Although
in it the church is to seek only the good of the person and his re-
covery from sin — there appearing, upon proper trial no reason
to hope for his recovery by gentler means — yet it is at God's
sovereign disposal, whether it shall issue in his humiliation
and repentance, or in his dreadful and eternal destruction ; as
it always doth issue in the one or the other. In the definition
of excommunication now given, two things are chiefly worthy
of consideration ; viz. wherein this punishment consists, and by
zjohom it is inflicted.
First, I would show wherein this punishment consists ;
and it is observable that there is in it something privative, and
something positive.
First; There is something privative in excommunication,
\?hich consists in being deprived of a benefit heretofore en=
SER. xvin. The Nature and End of Excommunication. oTl
joyed. This part of the punishment, in the Jewish church,
was called putting out of the synagogue^ John xvi. 2. The
word synagogue is of the same signiticalion as the word church.
So this punishment in the Christian church is called casting
out of the church. The apostle John, blaming Diotrephes
for inflicting this punishment without cause, says, 3 John v. 10.
" He casteth them out of the church.'' It is sometimes ex-
pressed by the church's withdrawing from a member, 2 Thess.
iii. 6. " Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that yc zoithdrazo yourselves from every
brother that walketh disorderly."
The privative part of excommunication consists in being
cut ojf from the enjoyment of the privileges of God's visible
people. The whole v.orld of mankind is divided into these
two sorts, those that are God's visible people ; and those
that are of the visible kingdom of Satan. Now it is a great
privilege to be within the visible church of Christ. On the
other hand, it is very doleful to be zoithout this visible kingdom,
to be cut off from its privileges, treated as belonging to the vi-
sible kingdom of Satan. For,
I. They are cut off from being the objects of that charity
of God's people which is due to Christian brethren. They are
not indeed cut off from all the charity of God's people, for all
men ought to be the objects of their love. But I speak of the
brotherly charity due to visible saints. — Charity as the apostle
represents it, is the bond by which the several members of the
church of Christ are united together : and therefore he calls it
the bond of perfectness ; Col. iii. 14. " Put on charity, which is
the bond of perfectness." But when a person is justly excom-
municated, it is like a physician's cutting off a diseased member
from the body ; and then the bond which before united it to the
body is cut or broken. A scandal is the same as a stumbling-
block ; and therefore while the scandal remains, it obstructs the
charity of others : and if it finally remain after proper endeavours
to remove it, then it breaks their charity, and so the offender is
cut off from the charitable opinion and esteem of the church.
It cannot any longer look upon him as a Christian, and so re-
jects him ; therefore excommunication is called a rejection,
Tit. iii. 10. "A man that is an heretic, after the first and
second admonition, reject.'"' This implies that the church
disapproves the person as a Christian : it cannot any longer
charitably look upon him as a saint, or fellow-worshipper
of God, and can do no other than, on the contrary, esteem
him an enemy of God ; and so doth openly withdraw its charity
from him, ceasing to acknowledge him as a fellow-christian, any
more than the heathens. He is also cut off from that honour
which is due to brethren and fellow-christians. To be a visible
Christian is an honourable character : but excommunicated per-
1 ,' J iftAcTR. Aii SERJiOIs ■>.
sons loricit this honour. Christians ought not to pay that honour
and respect to them, which they pay to others ; but should treat
them as unworthy of that honour, that they may be ashamed.
Christ tells us, they should " be unto us as heathen men and
publicans," (Matt, xviii. 17.) which implies a withdrawing from
them that common respect which we pay to others. We ought
to treat them so as to let them plainly sec that we do not count
them worthy of it, to put them to shame.
Much love and complacency is due to those whom we are
obliged in charity to receive as saints, because they are visi-
ble Christians. But this complacency excommunicated per-
sons forfeit. We should still wish well to them, and seek their
good. Excommunication itself is to be performed as an act of
benevolence. We should seek their good by it ; and it is to
be used as a mean of their eternal salvation. But compla-
cency and delight in them as visible Christians is to be with-
drawn ; and on the contrary they are to be the objects of dis-
placency, as visibly and apparently wicked. We are to cast
them out as an unclean thing which defiles the church of God.
— In this sense the psalmist professes a hatred of those who
were the visible enemies of God. Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. "Do
I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee 1 And am I not grieved
with those that rise up against thee ? 1 hate them with per-
fect hatred." Not that he hated them with a hatred of malice
or ill-will, but with displacency and abhorrence of their wick-
edness. In this respect we ought to be the children of our Fa-
ther who is in heaven, who though he loves many wicked men
with a love of benevolence, yet cannot love them with a love of
complacency. Thus excommunicated persons are cut off from
the charity of the church.
2. They are cut off also from the society which Chris-
tians have together as brethren. Thus we are commanded
to zvithdrazo from such ; 2 Thess. iii. 6. To avoid them ,
Rom. xvi. 17. To have no company with them : 2 Thess. iii. 14.
And to treat them as heathens and publicans ; Matt, xviii. 17.
The people of God are, as much as may be, to withdraw from
them as to that common society which is proper to subsist
among Christians. — Not that they should avoid speaking to
them on any occasion. All manner and all degrees of society
are not forbidden ; but all unnecessary society, or such as is
wont to be among those who delight in the company of each
other. We should not associate ourselves with them so as to
make them our companions. Yea, there ought to be such an
avoiding of their company as may show great dislike.
Particularly, we are forbidden such a degree of associating
ourselves with them, as there is in making them our guests at
our tables, or in being their guests at their tables ; as is mani-
fest in the text, where we are commanded to have no company
SER. xviii. The Mature and End of Excommunication, blS
with them no not to eat. That this respects not eating with
Ihem at the Lord's supper, but a common eating, is evident
by the words, that the eating here forbidden, is one of the
lowest degrees of keeping company, which are forbidden.
Keep no company with such an one, saith the apostle, no not
to cat : As much as to say, no not in so low a degree as to eat
with him. But eating with him at the Lord's supper, is the
very highest degree of visible Christian communion. Who
can suppose that the apostle meant this, Take heed and have
no company with a man, no not so muci. as in the highest
degree of communion that you can have ? Beside?, the apostle
mentions this eating as a way of keeping company which how-
ever, they might hold with the heathen. He teils them, not to
keep company with fornicators ; then he informs them, he
means not with the fornicators of this world, that is, the heath-
ens ; but, saith he, " if any man that is called a brother be a for-
nicator, &c. with such an one keep no company, no not to eatP
This makes it most apparent, that the apostle doth not mean
eating at the Lord's table ; for so they might not keep company
with the heathens, any more than with an excommunicated
person. Here naturally arise two questions.
Quest. L How far are the church to treat excommuni-
cated persons as they would those who never have been of the
visible church ? I answer, they are to treat them as heathens,
excepting in these two things, in which there is a difference to
be observed.
1. They are to have a greater concern for their welfare
still, than if they never had been brethren, and therefore ought
to take more pains, by admonitions and otherwise, to reclaim
and save them, than they are obliged to take towards those
who have been always heathens. This seems manifest by
that of the apostle, 2 Thess. iii. 14, 15. *' And if any man
obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no
company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him
not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." The con-
sideration that he hath been a brother heretofore, and that we
have not finally cast him off from that relation, but that we are
still hoping and using means for his recovery, obliges us to
concern ourselves more for the good of his soul than for those
with whom we never had any such connexion ; and so to pray for
him, and to take pains by admonishing him. — The very reason
of the thing shows the same. For this very ordinance of
excommunication is used for this end, that we may thereby
obtain the good of the person excommunicated. And surely
we should be more concerned for the good of those who have
been our brethren, and who are now under the operation of
means used by us for their good, than for those with whom we
o74 PRACTICAL SERMOKS,
never had any special connexion. Thus, there should be more
of the love of benevolence exercised towards persons excom-
municated, than towards those who never were members of
the church. — But then,
2. On the other hand, as to what relates to the love of
complacence, they ought to be treated with greater displacency
and disrespect than the heathen. This is plain by the text and
context. For the apostle plainly doth not require of us to
avoid the company of the heathen, or the fornicators of the
world, but expressly requires us to avoid the company of any
brother who shall be guilty of any of the vices pointed out in
the text, or any other like them. — This is also plain by the
reason of the thing. For those who have once been visible
Christians, and have apostatized and cast off that visibility, de-
serve to be treated with more abhorrence than those who have
never made any pretensions to Christianity. The sin of such,
in apostatizing from their profession, is more aggravated, than
the sin of those who never made any profession. They far
more dishonour religion, and are much more abhorred of God.
Therefore when Christ says, Matt, xviii. 1 7. " Let him be un-
to thee as an heathen man and a publican," it is not meant that
we should treat an excommunicated brother as Christians ought
to treat heathens and publicans ; for they might eat with them,
as Christ himself did ; and the apostle gives leave to eat with
such, 1 Cor. X. 27. and in the context gives leave to keep com-
pany with such ; yet forbids to eat with an excommunicated
person. — Christ's meaning must be, that we should treat an ex-
communicated person, as the Jews were wont to treat the
heathens and publicans ; and as the disciples had been always
taught among the Jews, and brought up, and used to treat them.
They would by no means eat with publicans and sinners ; they
would not eat with the Gentiles, or with the Samaritans.
Therefore Peter durst not eat with the Gentiles when the Jews
were present; Gal. ii. 12.
Quest. IT. What kindness and respect may and ought to
be shown to such persons ? — T answer. There are some things
by which the members of the church are obliged to show kind-
ness to them ; and these things are chiefly, to pray for them,
and to admonish them. — And the common duties and offices of
humanity ought to be performed towards them : such as re-
lieving them when they are sick, or under any other distress ;
allowing them those benefits of human society, and that help,
which are needful for the support and defence of their lives
and property. — The duties of natural and civil relations are
still to be performed towards them. Excommunication doth
not release children from the obligation of duty to their parents,
nor parents from parental affection and carp: toward their child-
SER. xviii. The Nature and End of Excommunication. dlb
ren. Nor are husbands and wives released from the duties
proper to their relation. And so of all other less relations,
whether natural, domestic, or civil.
3. They are cut off from the felloioship of the Christian
church. The true notion of the visible church of Christ, is
that part of mankind, which, as his people, is united in uphold-
ing his appointed worship. And the notion of a particular
visible church of Christ is a particular society of worshippers,
or of visible saints, united for the social worship of God ac-
cording to his institutions or ordinances. One great and main
privilege then, which the members of such a church enjoy, is
fellowship in the worship which God hath appointed in his
church. But they that are excommunicated are cut off from
this privilege, they have no fellowship, no communion with the
people of God in any part of their worship.
He' who is the mouth of the worshipping congregation in
offering up public prayers, is the mouth only of the worshipping
society ; but the excommunicated are cast out of that society.
The church may and ought to pray /or such ; but they cannot
have fellowship with such in prayer. The minister, when
speaking in prayer, doth not speak in their name : he speaks
only in the name of the united society of visible saints or wor-
shippers. If the people of God were to put up prayers in their
name, it would imply a receivmg of them into charity, or that
they charitably looked upon them as the servants or worship-
pers of God. But, as was observed before, excommunicated
persons are in this respect cast out of the charity of the church,
and it looks upon them as wicked men and enemies of God,
and treats them as such.
So when a congregation of visible saints join in singing the
praises of God, as the psalmist says, Psal. xxxiv. 3. " Let us
extol his name together ;" they do it only as joining with those
who are in their charitable estimation, fellow-servants and fel-
low-worshippers of God. They do it not as joining with
heathens ; nor do the people of God say to the open enemies of
God, remaining such, " Come let us extol his name together ;"
but they say it to their brethren in God's service. If we ought
not to join with excommunicated persons in familiar society,
much less ought we to \io\ A fellowship with them in solemn
worship, though they may be present.
4. There are privileges of a more internal nature, which
those who are members of the visible church enjoy, from
which excommunicated persons are cut off. They being God's
covenant people, are in the way of covenant-blessings : and
therefore have more encouragement to come to God by prayer
for any mercy they need. The visible church is the peo-
ple among whom God hath set his tabernacle, and among whom
he is wont to bestow his blessings. But the excommunicated
£»/6 PRACTICAL SERMONS.
are in a sense, cast ont of God's sight, into a land of banish-
ment, as Cain was, though not debarred from common means.
Gen. iv. 14, 16. They are not in the way of those smiles of
Providence, those tokens of God's favour, and that light of
God's countenance, like those who are within. Nor, as they
are cast out from among God's covenant people, have they the
divine covenant to plead, as the members of the church have.
— Thus far I have considered the privative part of the pun-
ishment of excommunication. — I now proceed,
Secondly, to the positive part, which is expressed by
being delivered to Satan, in verse 5. By which two things
seem to be signified :
1. A being delivered over to the calamities to which they
are subject, who belong to the visible kingdom of the devil.
As they who are excommunicated are thrust out from among
the visible people of God ; so they are to be looked upon, in
most respects, at least, as being in the miserable, deplorable
circumstances in which those are who are under the visible
tyranny of the devil, as the heathens are- And in many re-
spects, they doubtless suffer the cruel tyranny of the devil, in a
manner agreeable to their condition, being cast out into his
visible kingdom.
2. It is reasonable to suppose that God is wont to make
the devil the instrument of those peculiar, severe chastisements
which their apostacy deserves. As they deserve more severe
chastisement than the heathens, and are delivered to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh ; so we may well suppose, either
that God IS wont to let Satan loose, sorely to molest them out-
wardly or inwardly, and by such severe means to destroy the
flesh, and to humble them ; or that he suffers the devil to take
possession of them dreadfiilly to harden them, and so to destroy
them for ever. For although what men are to aim at, is only
the destruction of the flesh, yet, whether it shall prove the
destruction of the flesh, or the eternal and more dreadful de-
struction of themselves, is at God's sovereign disposal. — So
much for the nature of excommunication.
Thirdly, I come to show by whom this punishment is to
be inflicted.
1. When it is regularly and duly inflicted, it is to be looked
upon as done by Christ himself. That is imported in the defi-
nition, that it is according to his will, and to the directions of
his word. And, therefore, he is to be looked upon as principal
in it, and we ought to esteem it as really and truly from him,
as if he were on earth personally inflicting it.
2. As it is inflicted by men, it is only done 7ninisterially.
They do not act of themselves in this, any more than in preach-
SER. xvHi. The Nature and End of Exconimunicalion. 577
ing the word. When the word is preached, it is the word of
Christ which is spoken, as the preacher speaks in the name of
Christ, as his ambassador. So when a church excommunicates
a member, the church acts in the name of Christ, and by his
authority, not by its own. It is governed by his will, not by
its own. Indeed it is only a particular application of the word
of Christ. — Therefore it is promised, that when it is duly done,
it shall be confirmed in heaven ; i. e. Christ will confirm it, by
acknowledging it to be his own act; and he will, in his future
providence, have regard to what is done thus as done by him-
self: he will look on the person, and treat him as cast out and
delivered to Satan by himself; and if he repent not, will for
ever reject him; Matt, xviii. 18. "Verily I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven."
John XX. 23. " Whose soever sins ye retain, they arc retained."
— 1 shall now as was proposed.
II. Endeavour to show who are the proper subjects of ex-
communication. They are those members of the church who
are now become visibly wicked ; for the very name and nature
of the visible church show, that it is a society of visible saints,
or visibly holy persons. When any of these visible saints
become visibly wicked men, they ought to be cast out of the
church. Now the members of the church become visibly
wicked by these two things :
1. By gross sin. Saints may be guilty of other sins, and
very often are, without throwing any just stumbling-block in
the way of public charity, or of the charity of their Christian
brethren. The common failures of humanity, and the daily
short comings of the best of men, do not ordinarily obstruct the
charity of their brethren ; but when they fall into any gross sin,
this effect follows ; for we naturally argue, that he who hath com-
mitted some gross sin, hath doubtless much more practised less
and more secret sins ; and so we doubt concerning the sound-
ness and sincerity of his heart. Therefore all those who com-
mit any gross sin, as they obstruct the charity of their brethren
are proper subjects of discipline : and unless they confess their
■sin, and manifest their repentance, are proper subjects of ex-
coinmunication. — This leads me to say,
2. That the members of the church do especially become
visibly wicked, when they remain impenitent in their sins,
after proper means used to reclaim them. Merely being
guilty of any gross sin, is a stumbling block to charity, unless
repentance immediately succeed ; but especially when the
guilty person remains obstinate and contumacious ; in such a
case he is most clearly a visibly wicked person, and therefore
to be dealt with as such ; to be cast out into the wicked world,
the kingdom of Satan where he appears to belong. — Nor is
Vol, VI. 73
oi'6 I'RACTICAL SERMONS.
contumacy in gross sins only a sufficient ground of excom-
munication. In the text the apostle commands us to inflict
this censure, not only on those who are guilty of the gross
sins of fornication, idolatry, and drunkenness, but also on
those who are guilty of covetousuess. railing and extortion,
which at least in some degrees of them, are too generally
esteemed no very heinous crimes. And in Rom. xvi. 17.
the same apostle commands the church to excommunicate
"them who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doc-
trine they had learned ;" and in 2 Thess. iii. 14. to excommuni-
cate everyone who should " not obey his word by the epistle."
Now according to these precepts, every one who doth not ob-
serve the doctrine of the apostles, and their word contained in
their epistles, and so, by parity of reason, the divine instructions
contained in the other parts of scripture, is to be excommuni-
cated, provided he continue impenitent and contumacious.
So that contumacy/ and impenitence in any real and manifest sin
whatsoever, deserve excommunication.
III. I come to speak of the ends of this ecclesiastical cen-
sure. The special ends of it are these three.
1. That the church may be kept pure, and the ordinances
of God not to be defiled. This end is mentioned in the con-
text, verse 6, &:c. " Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye
may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. Therefore let us
keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sin-
cerity and truth." When the ordinances of God are defiled
by the toleration of wicked men in the church, God the Father,
Jesus Christ the head and founder of the church, the religion
of the gospel, and the church itself, are dishonoured and ex-
posed to contempt. And that the other members themselves
may not be defiled, it is necessary that they bear a testimony
against sin, by censuring it whenever it appears among them,
especially in the grosser acts of wickedness. If they neglect so
to do, they contract guilt by the very neglect ; and not ojily so,
but they expose themselves to learn the same vices which thejr
tolerate in others ; for " a little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump." Hence that earnest caution of the apostle, Heb. xii. 1 5.
"Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest
any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby
many be deJUed.'-
2. That others may be deterred from wickedness. As the
neglect of proper censure, with respect to visibly wicked church
members, tends to lead and encourage others to commit the
same wickedness ; so the infliction of proper censure tends to
restrain others, not only from the same wickedness, but from
SER. xvin. Jsaiure and End of Excommunication. o70
sin in general. This therefore is repeatedly mentioned as one
end of the punishments appointed to be inflicted by the law of
Moses: Deut. xiii. 11. "And all Israel shall hear, and fear,
and shall do no more such wickedness as this is among you."
3. That the persons themselves may be reclaimed^ and that
their souls may be saved. When other more gentle means
have been used in vain, then it is the duty of the church to
use this, which is more severe, in order to bring them to con-
viction, shame, and humiliation; and that, by being rejected
and avoided by the church, and treated with disrespect, they
may be convinced how they deserve to be for ever disowned
of God ; that by being delivered unto Satan, they may learn
how they deserve for ever to be delivered up to him ; that by
his bemg made the instrument of their chastisement, the} may
learn how they deserve to be tormented by him. without any
rest day or night, for ever and ever. This, with the coun-
sels and admonitions by which it is to be followed, is the last
mean that the church is to use, in order to reclaim those mem-
bers which are become visibly wicked. If this be inetTectual,
what is next to be expected is destruction without remedy.
APPLICATION.
I shall apply this subject in a brief use of exhortation to
this church, to maintain strictly the proper discipline of the
gospel in general, and particular!) that part of it which con-
sists in excommunication. To this end 1 shall just suggest to
you the following motives.
1. That if you tolerate visible wickedness in your mem-
bers, you will greatly dishonour God, our Lord Jesus Christ,
the religion which you profess, the church in general, and
yourselves in particular. As those members of the church who
practise wickedness, bring dishonour upon the whole body, so
do those who tolerate them in it. The language of it is, that
God doth not require holiness in his servants; that Christ doth
not require it in his disciples ; that the religion of the gospel is
nox a holy religion ; that the church is not a body of holy ser-
vants of God ; and that this church, in particular, hath no regard
to holiness or trij« virtue.
2. Your own good loudly calls you to the same thing.
From what hath heen alr*;ady said, you see how liable you, as
individuals, will be to catch ihe contagion, which is easily com-
municated by reason of the natural depravity, in a degree at
least, remaining in the best of men. Beside, if strict discipline
be maintained among you, it will not only tend to prevent the
spread of wickedness, but to make you more fruitful in holiness.
If you know that the eyes of your brethren observe all
oiiO TRACTICAL SERMONs.
jour conduct, it will not only make you more guarded agamst
sin, but more careful " to maintain good works," and to abound
in "the fruits of the Spirit." Thus you will have more abund-
ant joy and peace in beheving.
3. The good of those who are zvithout should be another
motive. What the apostle saith with reference to another sub-
ject, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. is perfectly applicable to the case
before us : "But if all prophesy, and there come in one that
believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is
judged of all : and thus are the secrets of his heart made ma-
nifest ; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God,
and report that God is in you of a truth." If strict discipline,
and thereby strict morals, were maintained in the church, it
would in all probability be one of the most powerful means of
conviction anH rnnvRrsion towards thoac who are without.
4. Benevolence towards your offending brethren themselves,
calls upon you to maintain discipline in all its parts. Surely, if
we love our brethren, it will grieve us to see them wandering
from the path of truth and duty ; and in proportion as our com-
passion is moved, shall we be disposed to use all proper means
to reclaim and bring them back to the right way. Now, the
rule- of discipline contained in the gospel are the most proper
and best adapted to this end, that infinite wisdom itself could
devise. Even excommunication is in tituted for this very end,
the destruction of the Jlesh, and the salvation of the spirit. If,
therefore, we have any love of benevolence to our offending
and erring brethren, it becomes us to manifest it in executing
strictly the rules of j^ospel discipline, and even excommunica-
tion itself, whenever it is necessary.
5. But the absolute authority of Christ ought to be suffi-
cient in this case, if there were no other motive. Our text is
only one of many passages in the scripture, wherein strict dis-
cipline is expressly commanded, and peremptorily enjoined.
Now, how can you be the true disciples of Christ, if you live
in the neglect of these plain positive commands ? If ye love
me," saith Christ, " keep my commandments ;" and, "Ye are
my friends, if ye do whatsoever I have commanded you."-"
But, " He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." "And
why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which
1 say ?" if you strictly follow the rules of discipUne instituted
by Christ, you have reason to hope for his blessing ; for he is
wont to blest: his own institutions, and to smile upon the means
of grace which he hath appointefl.
TND OF VOL Vr.
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